


even at my worst, i'm best with you

by bloodredcherries



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, FP Jones II tries, Fluff and Angst, Good Parent FP Jones II, I Tried, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Not Canon Compliant, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Protective FP Jones II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2019-08-07 07:04:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 80,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16403615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodredcherries/pseuds/bloodredcherries
Summary: The letters he got from her were the only things that mattered, anyways. He was doing his best to stay sober (he’d been sober for 48 days, not that he was counting), for the sake of Alice, for the sake of their child (he’d already fucked up two, he didn’t really need to go for fucking up lucky number three). He didn’t need to know what shit thing was going on in the world when it didn’t matter to him, when it was only a distraction to being a better man. Watching the news? While allowed by the rehabilitation center, this was not something that he did.Which was why the appearance of Fred Andrews at the rehabilitation center (how the hell had Fred even found him?), and the knowledge that he’d been granted a 72 hour pass, and that he had to come with Fred right-fucking-now -- well, it had thrown him for a loop.





	1. when the world has brought you down to your knees

**Author's Note:**

> Fic Title and Chapter Titles are unabashedly cribbed from "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrants.

FP wasn’t really allowed to have access to the outside world while he was drying out at the fancy rehabilitation center that Alice was paying for (for the sake of their  _ child _ not because of any feelings she had for him, he reminded himself on a daily basis, roughly around the same time that the person in charge of delivering the mail informed him that he had  _ another _ letter from her), not that he had much of anything  _ to _ access the outside world with. He didn’t have a laptop or a phone that wasn’t a shitbox (he was sure that Gladys had cut off the plan just to spite him, like she’d taken their children and gone to Reno to get a quickie divorce), and well, whatever. Alice wrote him letters, and whatever he’d needed to know, he was sure she’d tell him. 

 

The letters he got from her were the only things that mattered, anyways. He was doing his best to stay sober (he’d been sober for  _ 48 _ days, not that he was counting), for the sake of Alice, for the sake of their child (he’d already fucked up two, he didn’t really need to go for fucking up lucky number three). He didn’t need to know what shit thing was going on in the world when it didn’t matter to him, when it was only a distraction to being a better man. Watching the news? While allowed by the rehabilitation center, this was not something that he did. 

 

Which was why the appearance of Fred Andrews at the rehabilitation center (how the hell had Fred even found him?), and the knowledge that he’d been granted a 72 hour pass, and that he had to come with Fred right-fucking-now -- well, it had thrown him for a loop. He and Fred hadn’t really spoken for months -- the more FP slept with Alice, the less tenuous any claims the man had to functioning alcoholism were -- and even though the rehab encouraged family involvement and reintegration in society, well, he didn’t have much of a family anymore, and what the hell was he supposed to do with an overnight pass? Sit and seethe in his trailer while Alice lived it up on the Northside, probably pretending that their baby was Cooper’s? (Her letters told him a different story, one of promises to be a family together, but, fuck, he wasn’t stupid, okay? What the hell did he have to provide for her? For them? She and the kid would be better off if she played Cooper for the fool.)

 

“Are you going to tell me what you’re doing here?” He asked for what felt like the millionth time, sat in the cab of Fred’s truck, his annoyance growing. “Al spent a shit ton on sending me here,” he muttered. “I’m not going to let you throw her money away because you were bored and missed me.”

 

“You mean you haven’t heard?” Fred asked, throwing him a brief glance. “It was on the news.”

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” He demanded, as he fumbled with his pack of cigarettes, lighting one with shaking hands. “I don’t watch that bullshit, just tell me.”   
  


“Alice caught Hal having an affair,” Fred said. “When she asked him for a divorce, things...went badly.”

 

“What does badly mean, Fred?” He asked, trying to not completely lose his cool. He thought of the little baby that Alice sent him updates on, the pictures of her ultrasounds that he kept in his room at the rehab and in his wallet, and he clenched his fists, vowing to end Hal Cooper if he’d done anything to hurt her, or their child. “How is Alice?”   
  


Fred glanced over at him. “They need to keep her under observation,” he said after a moment. “See, it seems that the reason things went so badly was because she’s pregnant. So they need to monitor her...and the baby. To make sure that things didn’t go wrong.”   
  
“She sent me to rehab because she wanted me to be sober for our child,” he replied. “Gladys had found out and taken the kids and Alice said that she wanted me to get better...not just for the baby, but for all of them. I shouldn’t have gone,” he muttered. “Maybe things would have been different.”

 

“FP,” his companion said, and he touched him on the arm. “So far, the baby seems fine,” his tone was assuring, and FP relaxed incrementally. “Alice is just...she wants to see you, and she threatened to leave the hospital unless you were brought to her.”

 

He lit another cigarette. “That’s Alice, for you. Always stubborn as fuck.” He sighed. “How is she?”   
  


“I wasn’t aware that the two of you knew what you were having,” Fred said. 

 

“Not the baby, Fred, I was asking about Alice. You know, the person whose husband tried to kill her?” While, for normal people, the knowledge that Alice was willing to check herself out of the hospital to come find FP would have provided him with a sense of comfort, this  _ was  _ Alice he was talking about. She wasn’t exactly the most normal of people. He cringed about what she could have done if she was left to her own devices. 

 

“She’s...I won’t lie to you, FP,” he told him. “She’s going to be alright, but it will take some time.” 

 

The look that FP gave Fred was a dark one. “I don’t understand how you didn’t notice Hal attacking Alice, Fred, given that you live literally next door to each other.” 

 

“Uh, well, you see,” he said nervously. “They’ve been fighting a lot lately. It’s not an excuse, but...we thought it was normal.”

 

“Where are the girls?” He asked, trying to maintain a semblance of calm, if not for the sake of his sobriety, then for the sake of Alice, who was probably not in the mood to deal with his tendency to get explosively defensive of her. Alice loved her daughters -- he  _ knew _ that, which was why he hadn’t wanted her to give up her marriage for a loser like himself -- and, if they had been hurt, he was  _ sure _ that his presence wouldn’t be enough to calm her down. “Did he hurt them?”

 

“Polly is at a sleepover,” Fred replied, after a moment of silence, during which FP had created the worst case scenario out of whole cloth, and begun drumming his fingers on the dashboard. “I’m not even sure if she knows what happened,” he added. “Elizabeth was there, though.” 

 

“Was she hurt?” He asked, feeling his jaw set. “I need to know what I’m walking into here.” 

 

“Not...much,” he settled on. “I’m not sure if her broken wrist was because of Hal or because of...well, that doesn’t matter.” 

 

“What doesn’t matter? I think I will be judge on what ‘doesn’t matter’ here, Fred.”

 

“Mary wouldn’t open the door for them, so Elizabeth...scaled the side of the house with a ladder to get into Archie’s bedroom,” he admitted. “It was late, we were eating dinner.”

 

“Where is she now?” FP was priding himself on the remarkable restraint he was showing. Fred was still alive, not even punched, and he had stopped after chain smoking three cigarettes, instead of his usual half a pack. “Elizabeth?”

 

“With Alice.”

 

“You have  _ got _ to be kidding me? You and your wife are two able bodied adults, and she is a child! Why the hell is she not staying with the two of you?”

 

“Mary has court in the morning,” he said. “She has to prepare for her new client.” 

 

FP didn’t much care to ask who Mary’s new client was. His opinion of her and Fred had lowered when Fred had admitted that they had ignored an unbelievably violent domestic dispute in favor of continuing to eat dinner, and it certainly hadn’t risen when he confessed that Mary’s new client was more important than putting Elizabeth Cooper up in their guest bedroom for the evening. Elizabeth Cooper, the  _ only _ friend of Jughead’s that FP didn’t find to be a questionable influence, and the only one who hadn’t worsened his hangovers when she’d come over to the trailer to play with his son. The girl was the human equivalent of a dormouse, and the fact that she was being viewed as a distraction rubbed him the wrong way. 

 

“Listen to me,” he said flatly. “You are dropping me off at the hospital, and you are going to Pops, where you are going to treat Alice, Elizabeth, and myself to takeout. We will discuss my issues with your actions tonight when my response isn’t to immediately sucker punch you.” 

 

FP spent the rest of the ride to Riverdale General Hospital in a silent funk, trying not to give in to the temptation of sucker punching Fred right then and there. They were working on controlling his anger in the facility. He was in therapy. He just...was so angry. It was obvious to him that he needed to behave during his 72 hours outside of the program, so that he could complete the rest of the 60 days and get back home to Alice, who was clearly going to be forced to rely on him, as if she didn’t already have the shit luck of having Hal Cooper as a husband. It wasn’t like FP was that great of a catch.

 

“Also,” he said. “I want my ownership back of the company. With back pay. Otherwise, I’ll tell Alice that you treated her  _ near death experience _ as dinner theatre. Sound good, Freddie?”   
  


“Noted,” his companion said, his tone filled with dread. “What do you want from Pops?”

 

“Seriously?” He asked. “Just get us our usuals, Fred. Ask Pop what they are.” 

 

FP had never been so grateful to see the entrance to Riverdale General Hospital in his life, and he hopped out of the truck, slamming the door behind him, a ghost of a smirk on his face as he saw Fred jump at the news. He entered the building, bypassing causing a scene in the emergency room in favor of stopping by the gift shop, where he found himself buying Alice a bouquet of flowers (but not peonies, he didn’t want to add an allergic reaction to her list of issues), Elizabeth a couple of those  _ stupid _ magazines with the names that reminded him of animals but were really for preteens to read about what they considered to be celebrities, and, before he could stop himself, he went over to the stuffed animals and picked out one for the baby, even though he knew he really shouldn’t. It was so early, and Alice was hurt, and what if something  _ happened  _ to the baby and she had the stuffed animal to remind her...but it was a snake, and he thought that the baby would like it, and he had to believe things would be okay. For Alice’s sake. 

 

For Alice’s sake, FP managed to embrace Northsider concepts like paying for things in the gift shop, and asking politely at the information desk where he could find the mother of his child, in lieu of his penchant for petty thievery and using his status as the Serpent King to get his way. 

 

Though it had been presented as a good thing, he wasn’t really sure how to take the news that Alice had been given a private room in the Maternity ward. He  _ knew _ that she wasn’t far along enough to have the baby, there was  _ no way _ that was going to happen this soon. He sighed, itching for another smoke as he stood in front of the door to her room, but he popped a piece of gum in his mouth instead. 

 

He knocked quietly on the door, not wanting to come in if he wasn’t welcomed. He knew that Alice had asked for him, had forced Fred to get him, but he didn’t know if her feelings had changed. It wasn’t like he deserved her wanting to see him. 

 

Elizabeth -- who FP really thought should  _ not _ be in the hospital with Alice, though he held his tongue when faced with her in the flesh -- opened the door, eying him with cautious eyes.

 

“Hey, kid,” he said, awkwardly, handing her the bag containing her magazines. “Got you these. Your mom awake?”

 

“Jonesy?” And that was Alice, though a subdued version of Alice, calling out for him, and FP thought his heart might break. All thoughts of leaving the gifts with Elizabeth and hitchhiking back to his program evaporated. “Are you really here?”

 

“Yeah,” he said, as Elizabeth stepped back so he could enter the room, appraising her magazines as she did. “Yeah, I’m really here, Allie.” He approached the bed that she was laying in, concentrating on ignoring all of the machines, and the wires, and all the noise coming from the machines and the wires, in favor of just focusing on Alice, who was clearly not doing well if she was calling him Jonesy in front of her daughter with Cooper. “I, uh, I got you these. I thought you might like them.”   
  


Before he knew what he was doing -- in front of Hal Cooper’s daughter -- he leaned over and kissed Alice on the forehead. “You’re stuck with me for three days,” he told her, giving her an appraising look as he put the flowers in a vase and commandeered the chair by her side. “That certainly is a bright colored cast,” he commented. The neon pink was blinding, and so un-Alice that he needed to comment on it, even if it was to lighten the room. “Betty pick that out for you?”

 

“Betty?” Alice asked. “Is that what you call Elizabeth?”

 

“No, uh, of course not,” he said. “Jughead, he couldn’t sign that when they first met, so, uh, he went with Betty. It just slipped out.”

 

“No, it’s alright,” she told him. “I like Betty. It’s pretty.” Alice coughed. “Sweetheart, do you want to be called that?”

 

“Yes,” the young girl said. “We have matching casts, Mr. Jones.”

 

“I see that,” he allowed. Betty preened. “I’ll have to sign them later.”

 

“Mom said that when she gets out of here she’ll get me sparkly sharpies,” she informed him. “After the baby’s alright, right Mom?”

 

“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” Alice replied. He was pretty sure that Alice had never said that sentence before in her life and sounded sincere about it before that day. “Jonesy?”   


“Yeah, Allie?” He asked, reaching out to take her hand, abandoning his brief flirtation with propriety. “You good?”

 

“I want you to see the baby,” she said. “They have me hooked up to these monitors, and we can see him or her on that screen,” she pointed at the monitor that was facing the bed, where even he could make out the shape of the baby that was growing in her belly. “That’s its heartbeat,” she added. “So far everything is okay.”

 

FP was transfixed by the image on the monitor. He hadn’t seen the baby in person yet. Just in the copies of the scans that Allie had sent him. 

 

“That’s our baby?” He asked, regretting the question the moment it left his lips, but Alice smiled tiredly at him, and even more miraculously withheld any snarky comments that came to mind. “Wow, Allie, it’s amazing.”

 

“Yeah, honey, it is,” she said. “I’m glad you came. I was worried you wouldn’t.”

 

“Alice, you’re in the hospital.” He leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. “Nothing would stop me.”

 

“How are you doing, though?” She asked. “Everything going okay?” 

 

“Yeah,” he said, running his free hand through his hair, unable to stop holding hers. “Is this hurting you?”

 

“No, Jonesy,” she said. “It’s fine. I’m okay.”

 

“You might not have been okay, though,”  he pointed out. “When I heard what happened to you, Al, I was so scared, I was terrified.” He pressed a kiss to her fingers. “Alice...you, the baby, your girls...I was worried about all of you.”

 

“Dad strangled her,” Betty supplied. FP’s jaw dropped. “I thought he was going to kill her.”

 

“I’m fine, Jonesy,” Alice repeated. “Well, I will be, at least. It’s not like it was the first time.”

 

“But it will be the last time,” he said. “Alice, I don’t want you to live with him anymore. You can stay in the trailer, until you can find a place, until  _ we _ can find a place.”

 

“Is that what you want, FP?”

 

“Yeah,” he whispered. “That’s what I want. You’re what I want. I want to know that I can go back to that program and finish out my sixty days, and come home to my woman and our slightly dysfunctional family.” He beckoned Betty over to them. “You’d be okay staying at my house, right? Where Jug used to live?”

 

“Dad won’t go there, will he?” Betty asked, looking both older and younger than her years at the same time. 

 

“No, it will be you, and Polly, and your mother,” he promised. “Then, when I get back from my...trip, I’ll live there too. But, no, not your father.”

 

This wasn’t how FP had anticipated having this conversation. If the conversation were to have occurred at all (he had always been dubious it would have) he would have much rather preferred it not taking place in Alice’s private hospital room, dealing with the aftermath of Alice’s crazy husband, and Betty’s crazy father. But, what could he do? Alice was being monitored and Betty was there and he couldn’t not talk to the kid. She was Alice’s daughter and Jughead’s best friend. It would have been rude.

 

“Alice, you are covered in bruises,” he said, finally catching a glimpse of the reality of Alice’s condition in the hospital lights. “What the hell did Cooper do to you?” He paused. “Betty? Do you think you could go see if you could score me up a coffee? Ask one of the nurses?” 

 

He offered her a five dollar bill. The tiny blonde took the out.

 

Carefully, he perched himself on the edge of the bed, not wanting to fuck up anything the doctors had done for her, but wanting to be a little more intimate than sitting on an uncomfortable chair holding her casted hand. 

 

“Shit, Al,” he said. “What the fuck?”

 

“Polly wanted to go to that odious Cheryl Blossom’s house for a sleepover,” Alice recounted, her voice hoarse (this probably had something to do with the whole ‘Dad strangled her’ thing, FP reminded himself), her broken arm awkwardly resting on him. “I drove her there because I was too tired to argue with her about that friendship, and I saw them...Harold, and Penelope.” She coughed. “I know that you thought I was all talk but I really want to be a family with you, Jonesy, and I have been trying to just...bide my time and wait for you to get out of rehab, and just...leave him, but how could I lay in the same bed as someone who would sleep with that horrible woman?” She sighed. “So I told Harold that it was over -- I wanted out. He told me that he didn’t see what the big deal was, that it wasn’t like we had married because we loved each other, or anything, and I knew that I should have said anything, I knew that I needed to be quiet, but I just got so angry. I said that if we were discussing our indiscretions, I had stepped out on him with you, and you made me happier than he ever had. He got angry. We fought. I said that if all that was needed to make a marriage was needing to get married, well, he needed to let me go because I was having your baby. The next thing I knew his hands were around my neck.”

 

“Alice…I love you,” he settled on. There were many things to unpack in her statement, but he felt that was important to start with. “I love you, and I love the baby, and I want to be a family with you too. You, the girls, maybe Jellybean and Jug if Gladys ever fucking lets me see them again. Why do you think I’m working so hard at staying sober?”   
  


“You want to be a family with me?” Her voice is small, impossibly tiny. 

 

“Yeah,” he said. “More than anything.”   
  


“I want that too,” she said. “I’m sorry that I could have hurt the baby. I didn’t mean to.”   
  


“Hal could have hurt the baby,” he corrected. “Looks and sounds like the munchkin is doing okay, though, doesn’t it?”

 

“I think it thinks it’s playtime,” she said. “Maybe we can find out what we’re having.”   
  


“I’d like that.” His gaze moved from the screen to the slight rise he noticed under the hospital blanket, and he itched to touch it, to see what they’d created. “Can I say hi?” 

 

“Yes,” she said, simply. “You don’t have to ask, Jonesy. I’ll help you. You just have to be careful.”

 

Alice’s bump was only slight, but he relished the feel of her warmth against his palm, the firmness of her skin reminding him that there is a baby in there. Their baby. 

 

“I got you something,” he remembered. “Well, not really you,” he corrected, feeling a blush come to his cheeks. “It’s for the munchkin. But, I want you to open it. I thought it might cheer you up.”

 

“Gimme,” she said, the spark back in her eyes, and he chuckled softly, leaning over to kiss her on the lips. “Come on, Jonesy, the baby mama wants to see what you got our little munchkin.” 

 

“You’re more than that to me,” he said, rubbing her bump some more. “You divorce that asshole, I’ll make you my wife.”

 

“Are you asking me to resume my throne?” 

 

“Nah, babe, you don’t have to,” he said. “I’d go straight for you.”

 

“What if that’s what I want?” 

 

“You’ll really like the gift, then,” he smirked. “At least, I hope so.” He paused, noticing that Betty had returned, and she actually had his requested coffee. “You want to see the present I got the baby?”

 

“Come here, Betty,” Alice added. “Give FP his coffee and sit with us.”

 

Betty wriggled into the space beside him, her eyes curious as he handed Alice the gift and she handed him his coffee. The lady at the gift shop had insisted on wrapping it for him, which he could tell Alice appreciated. She always had appreciated stuff like that. 

 

His hand hadn’t left its spot on her belly. He only had three days with this version of Alice, with this version of their baby, and he wanted to relish them. 

 

“Ooh, Jonesy,” Alice said, cradling the stuffed serpent. “It’s perfect.” 

 

“You really think so?” 

 

“I love it,” she said. “So does the baby. What do you think, Betty?”

 

Betty gave him an appraising look, before she shifted her gaze to her mother, the stuffed animal, and the reason they were all in the hospital room. 

 

“It looks soft,” she said, after a moment. “Yes, Mom, I think the baby will like it.” She paused, before locking her eyes on FP. “Do you like the baby, Mr. Jones?”   
  


“Elizabeth!” Alice protested, though he was dubious it was very effective given her inability to raise her voice much, or get out of bed.    
  


“It’s alright, Al,” he assured her. “Yeah, Betty, I like the baby,” he promised. “I like your mom a lot, and I like the baby, and you and your sister, just like I like Jug and Jellybean.” FP wasn’t really good with words, or actually processing emotions (there was a reason he was a drunk, okay, he didn’t like to deal), but this was Alice’s eight year old daughter, who had been failed by nearly every adult she and her mother had encountered over the last 24 hours, and he was going to try not to fail her too. “I promise that I’m not angry about the baby, and I’m never going to hurt her. Or you. I won’t do that.”

 

“I like the baby too,” she said. “When I said that it made Dad angrier.”

 

“Screw your father,” he said. “Your father isn’t the father of that baby, and he has no right to dictate who feels what about the baby and who doesn’t, okay? As far as I’m concerned, he has no right to say a damn thing to either of you after what he did today.”

 

“It’s cool with me,” he added. “That you like the baby. But, even if you didn’t, I would understand. It’s not an ideal situation.”

 

The caphony at the door broke the moment that FP was attempting to have with Betty and Alice, and he scowled deeply when he realized that Fred and their food was the cause, and not a medical professional, who at least would have a good reason not to knock. “Ignore him,” he told Alice, and he leaned over to give her a kiss. “I asked him to get us food. I figured it was the least he could do. But he’s not staying.”   
  


He turned to Betty. “Do you want to go stay at Archie’s?” The comment about Mary’s court case had irked him, and he didn’t care how pissed off they’d be if she wanted to go over -- if Betty wanted to sleep in a bed instead of a shitty hospital chair with her fucking broken arm, she was going to sleep in a bed, even if it meant he had to darken Mary’s doorstep to get her to agree. Betty, however, quickly shook her head, and appeared to be trying to make herself invisible. This did not improve FP’s mood. “It’s okay,” he assured her, as he ruffled her hair. “I won’t make you.”

  
  


***

  
  


“You  _ drove yourself to the hospital _ , Alice?” FP exclaimed, eyes wide, and she rolled her eyes at him. “What the hell were you thinking?”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said demurely, taking another sip of her milkshake. “If watching Elizabeth was going to be such an inconvenience to Fred and Mary, I certainly wasn’t going to expect them to pick me up when the hospital decided to release me, so I bribed one of the deputies to follow the ambulance in my car, so I would be able to go home. I was honestly surprised Fred went to get you.”

 

“I’m surprised he did too,” he muttered, and she sighed. “You feelin’ alright? I mean...I don’t know what I mean.”

 

“I’m okay,” she said. “Just sore. And my arm hurts a little.” She sighed again. “Do you think that you could move Betty -- carefully -- to the chair?” She asked. The little girl had fallen soundly asleep halfway through their unbelievably late dinner (Alice had meant to save the leftovers for her, but she was currently making fast work of them. Clearly her adventures with near-death and being pregnant with FP’s baby had made her develop quite the appetite. She didn’t really mind), next to Alice on the bed. Which, typically, the blonde would have been fine with. It was nice that Elizabeth wanted to cuddle with her. Margaret always had better things to do. But, Jonesy was there, and she had missed him. 

 

“Of course,” he said, and she enjoyed the view as he did as he was told. Rehab had been kind indeed to FP, Alice decided. Sobriety looked good on him. He certainly looked better than she did, thanks to Hal. “Want me to see if I can steal another chair?”   
  


Alice raised an eyebrow. “No,” she told him. “I had you move Betty so you could take her spot,” she admitted. “Not so you could steal a chair from some poor family who just had a baby.”

 

“Oh,” he breathed, his eyes wide, as if the thought that Alice might want to share her bed with him was a novelty to him, or part of a dream. She smiled softly at him. “Yeah, Allie, of course.” 

 

FP carefully laid down beside her, and Alice shifted closer to him, as his hands found their places on her abdomen. “I really am glad you’re here,” she assured him. “I mean, not that I didn’t appreciate Elizabeth’s company, but, I’m glad that you were able to come. I missed you.”

 

“I missed you too,” he whispered softly, as he nuzzled her hair. “You really think the baby will like the stuffed animal?” Betty had co-opted the stuffed serpent, cuddling it close as she’d fallen asleep, and Alice hadn’t had the heart to demand it back. “You think that the baby knows who I am?”   
  


“Yes,” she said, decisively. “The serpent was perfect,” she assured him. “And, I think the baby does,” she told him. “What did you call it earlier? The munchkin?” FP’s blush told her that her memory had been unaffected by the evening’s events. “The munchkin can hear in there,” she informed him. “They say that babies can recognize their father’s voices, even in the womb.” She gestured to the monitor screen. “Munchkin knows that someone that loves her is here,” she said. “When you talk she reacts. She’s kicking.”

 

“I can’t feel anything,” he mumbled. “Can you?”

 

“Not much,” she said honestly. “It’s okay, Jonesy, the baby is too little for you to feel right now,” she explained. “But  _ I _ want you to keep feeling him, or her,” she insisted. “You haven’t really gotten the chance to be involved, and I really want you to be.”   
  


“Yeah, 48 days,” he said quietly, his hand rested on her bump while he cupped her chin with the other. “Gotta say, babe, it’s gonna be really hard finishing out the rest of them, knowing what I have to come home to.” 

 

“You have to finish,” she admonished. “I prepaid.” 

 

“No, don’t worry,” he said. “I’m gonna. For our family.” He brought his lips to hers, and she kissed him hungrily. Apparently food wasn’t the only thing she was craving. “I can handle it.” He kissed her again. “It’s almost up, anyways.”

 

“I will be there to pick you up,” she promised. “Bright and early. We can go baby shopping after.”

 

“I’d love to go baby shopping with you,” he said, a smirk on his face. “Maybe if you feel up to it, though, we could revisit how we said goodbye.”

 

“You want to take me in the back seat of my station wagon?” Alice asked, trying and failing to look disapproving of the idea. “Okay,” she decided. “That will be your reward.” 

 

“You’re my reward, beautiful.”

 

She took another sip of milkshake, and watched as he tried to steal a fry from her plate. “No fair,” she pouted. “Your child is demanding those.” 

 

“It’s my child when it’s making you crave fries from Pop’s?” He teased. “Sorry, babe. I won’t do it again.”   
  


“It’s  _ always _ your child,” she corrected gently, squeezing his fingers. “I promised, didn’t I?”

 

“Yeah, you promised,” he agreed. “Really, I can’t wait.”

 

The knock on the door surprised Alice (Betty simply continued to snore), but she smiled beatifically at the doctor and nurse who were standing there, keeping her hand in FP’s. She wasn’t ashamed of him, or their family, or what had happened to her. And, if FP’s presence made them more likely to send her home, even better. “Honey,” she said. “This is Dr. Grayson. She’s been taking care of me today.”

 

“Hey, Doc,” FP said. “I’m FP Jones,” he introduced himself. “Alice’s…”

 

“Fiance,” she finished. “We were wondering how the baby was doing, and if we could find out what we were having.” She felt him squeeze her hand, supportively, and she leaned into his touch.

 

“Is Alice going to be okay?” He asked. 

 

“Well, we’ve been monitoring you for several hours,” the doctor said. “And everything looks good. So, I’d say that you don’t have to stay overnight,” she told her. “We can discharge you. And, yes, we can tell you what you’re having.”

 

“Jonesy and I, we want to know,” Alice insisted, practically bouncing. “We want to know so badly.” 

 

“It looks like you’re having a little girl,” Dr. Grayson said. “She’s a strong one.” 

 

“A daughter?” FP asked, his eyes wide and, Alice noticed, they were a bit teary. “Wow. Allie. A daughter. Can we name her Begonia?”

 

“We can discuss baby names later,” she settled on, versus her initial reaction of demanding to know what the fuck he was thinking wanting to name a baby  _ Begonia _ instead of literally anything else. “You happy?”

 

“Happiest I’ve ever been,” he whispered. “Can’t wait to meet her.”

 

“Why don’t the three of you get ready to go?” The nurse suggested. “We’ll get the discharge paperwork done up for you while you’re doing so.”

 

“Four of us,” FP corrected, his eyes fixated on Alice, a look that she could only describe as blissful on his face. “Me, Allie, Betty, and our Munchkin.” The baby -- their Munchkin, Alice corrected herself -- was fine, was going to be okay, and was currently fluttering around inside of her, directly under where FP had placed his hand. “You gonna eat that, babe?”   
  


“I’ll share,” she decided, smiling sweetly at him. “As long as we stop at Pop’s on the way home. I’m craving a burger.” 

 

“A burger, eh?” He beamed. “Someone’s definitely a little Jones, aren’t you, little one?”   
  


“I told you she knows who you are.”

  
  


***

  
  


“You were right, Jonesy,” Alice said, as she stepped into the trailer, thanking all that was good and pure that she’d gone through and cleaned it the day that he checked into rehab, rather than putting it off. “Getting the food to go was a good idea.” 

 

“You and Betty have had a long day,” he said, gesturing to the sleeping girl he held in his arms. “Thought we could put her to bed in Jug’s room and then we could eat our food and get some sleep ourselves?” He shrugged. “Sorry I don’t have much to offer. But at least it’s safe.”

 

“I like your trailer,” she insisted, putting a hand on her abdomen as she followed him into Jughead’s room, where he laid Betty down on the bed, stepping back so Alice could tuck her in. “Sweet dreams, Elizabeth,” Alice whispered. “Lord knows you deserve them.” She stood up, surprised to see that FP was staring at her, or, more specifically, the swell underneath her shirt that contained their daughter. “You like what you see?”

 

“Just can’t believe that this is real,” he admitted. “I mean, I knew that the baby was a real thing, of course I knew, I read all your letters, and, Alice, thank you so much for sending me the pictures...I just...you’re here with me, and it’s just so amazing. You’re amazing. And, yes, I like what I see. You’re hot, Alice. Being pregnant just makes you hotter.”

 

“I love you,” she breathed, and she leaned in to give him a kiss. “Fuck, Jonesy, I missed you.”

 

“I missed you too,” he said. “You can come visit, you know,” he mumbled. “I’d like that.”

 

“Me too,” she assured him, patting him on the arm. “I will.” She was still sore from what had happened with Hal, but she was so grateful to be openly with FP, that she was able to ignore her pain. Plus, the baby was still wriggling around inside of her, clearly reacting to her father. “Munchkin’s up,” she added. “She must like you.”

 

“Alice? Can I talk to her?” 

 

“Of course, Jonesy,” she whispered. “Do you mind if I change into something more comfortable, first?”

 

“You wanna wear my clothes?”

 

“Yes,” she said simply. “You’re going to have to help me though. This stupid fucking cast—”

 

“Hey,” he said gently. “I don’t mind helping you.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “You’ve helped me so much. We’re having a baby together. It’s okay.” His hands found their way to her bump, and she smiled. “Hey, Munchkin. I’m—hi, I’m your dad. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to protect you yet but I promise that what happened today won’t happen again.” He pressed a kiss through her shirt below her navel. “I got you.”

 

He kissed her tenderly on the lips. “I got you too, babe,” he murmured. “Don’t you forget that.”

 

“I won’t,” she whispered. “Get me out of these. I’m hungry and I want that food.”

 

“That’s such a turn on,” he said. “You’re hungry and you want me to tear your clothes off of you.”

 

“Your child makes me hungry,” she said, “I’m not sure how attractive you’ll find it when you see how much she wants me to eat.” 

 

“Allie, babe, nothing that the baby makes you do is unattractive to me.”

 

“You’re just saying that because you missed my morning sickness.” FP placed his hand on her back, and she leaned into his touch. “Not sure that was attractive to anyone.”

 

“I’m still sorry I missed it,” he said. “I would have helped you.”

 

“You were doing something important, Jonesy,” Alice corrected gently. “I wanted you to get sober, for yourself, and for our children. And, yes, it hurt when you never took advantage of the passes that the program offered you, but I can’t really blame you. I’m just glad that you’re here now, that in 12 days, you’ll be home for good, and that’s what I  _ want _ for us.”

 

“Still,” he said. “I feel we could have done without Cooper going psychotic on you.”

 

“That would have been nice to avoid,” she agreed. “But, this is nice, too.” 

 

The trailer was small -- Alice knew that FP and Gladys had had to move there with the kids after Fred Andrews fired him from the construction company -- but she knew that she and the girls would be safe there, regardless of whether or not Hal was released from jail. He would never dare go to Sunnyside Trailer Park, even to collect his estranged wife or his children. Hal was a Cooper, and he strictly stuck to the Northside, refusing to even consider the Southside worthy of his consideration. It wasn’t as if it didn’t make sense to stay there -- she was pregnant with FP’s baby, he loved her, he wanted to keep them safe -- and the thought of settling back into life on the Southside was actually appealing to Alice. She missed how easy it was to just be herself. To not have to pretend that she was something she wasn’t. 

 

“Got my job back,” he said casually, and she took a break from devouring the burger to stare at him, her gaze confused. “With back pay. And my ownership of the company.”

 

“How did you manage that?” 

 

He sat down beside her on the couch, balancing his own plate of food on his knees. 

 

“Fred and I ...had a discussion,” he settled on. “I laid out my terms, and he accepted them.”

 

“A discussion about what?” Alice dreaded to ask. 

 

“Told him I wouldn’t tell you,” he said. She scowled. He smirked, squeezing her knee. “But, yeah, I will. Got into it because of how he and Mary ignored you and Cooper fighting because they were too busy eating dinner. Still pretty damn pissed about it.”

 

“Don’t get me started on them,” she said, rolling her eyes. She took another bite of her burger. “I’m 100% sure that Mary has taken on Harold as a client,” she sighed. “It’s so typical of her. Siding with everyone over me.” She shook her head. “I don’t care what they do, it just irritates me that they wouldn’t let Elizabeth spend the night there. It’s not like she’s a bad kid.”

 

“Yeah, that pissed me off too,” he agreed. “I mean, I would rather her be here, with you, but, still. What if they hadn’t given me a pass?”

 

“I would have made due,” she sighed, and she leaned into him, smiling as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. “You smell good, Jonesy.”

 

“You shouldn’t have had to make due,” he insisted. “I know that you would have, Al. But, you deserve  _ everything _ that you...you deserve everything.”

 

“We’ll have everything,” she promised. “We have you.”

 

“I hope that I don’t let you down,” he said, after a moment. “I just want you to be happy, Al. Lord knows that I’m good at ruining that.”   
  


“You haven’t ruined my happiness in awhile,” she admitted. “Hal has that covered.” She snuggled closer to her new fiance, letting his fingers ghost down her side until they settled on her bump, which was blatantly obvious in the clothes that he had let her borrow. “You happy, Jonesy?” 

 

“Yeah. The happiest.”   
  


“‘m happy too,” she murmured. She was exhausted. It had been a long day, and she was bound to have her adrenaline crash once she was safe, which, with FP, in his arms, she was. She stifled a yawn. “Can we cuddle?”

 

“You sure you don’t want to just go to bed?” He queried. His hand never moved from her bump. 

 

“I want to spend time with you,” she said. “Not sleep.”

 

“I’d be there with you,” he assured her. “The whole night.”

  
  


***

  
  


“Mr. Jones?” FP heard in his ear, and it took him a few seconds to acclimate himself to the fact that he was temporarily back home, and not at the rehabilitation center, and that he was fucking  _ spooning _ with Alice, and that was her fucking  _ daughter _ talking to him. 

 

“Yeah, kid?” He asked, and he cracked open his eyes, squinting at her, fighting against the desire to fall asleep right then and there. “You okay?” Beside him, Alice snored, her body pressed against his. 

 

“I can’t sleep,” Betty said. “I had a bad dream,” she added. 

 

“You wanna see if staying in here would help? With your mom, an’ all?” He wasn’t really sure what else to suggest. Alice was sound asleep and he prefered that she stay asleep, and he… well, he really wasn’t great at comforting children. He had two of them, but his ...track history with being anything resembling a caring parent left a lot to be desired. He’d tried, sure. He’d always tried. “You can get in on her other side,” he offered. 

 

Betty nodded, her gaze solemn. “Is she okay?” She asked. 

 

“Yeah, kid, she’s fine,” he told her. “You...want me to wake her up?” FP really didn’t want to disturb Alice, but he wasn’t going to have Betty work herself into a panic because of her mother -- her  _ pregnant _ mother -- having been a part of whatever bad dream she’d had and he’d just had her go to bed and not given a damn. Because he did care about Betty. “Was the dream about her?”

 

Betty nodded. “It was about what happened yesterday,” she said, her tone miserable. “It was so real.” 

 

“It’s okay,” he said, instinctively reaching out to lift her on the bed, more awake than not. “It was just a nightmare, your mom is fine,” he assured her, his tone low, though he attempted to keep the threatening sound out of it. “Alice,” he whispered, trying to wake her without worsening her injuries. “You need to get up.”

 

“Jonesy?” She said, voice thickened with sleep. “Wassup?”

 

“Betty would feel better if she spoke to you,” he said, and he gestured to their companion. “She had a nightmare.” 

 

“Betty?” Alice asked, her tone confused, and her voice exhausted. “What happened?”   
  


“I thought you were dead,” the eight year old wept. “It was so real.” 

 

“It’s okay,” Alice whispered softly, and he bit back a groan when she pulled away from him, sitting up so she could talk to Betty. “I’m not dead, I’m just spending the night with FP, that’s all.”

 

“And the baby?” Alice brightened at the mention of the baby, and he flipped on the light, as he remembered that Betty had been asleep when they’d found out what they were having. “How’s the baby?”

 

“Doing really well,” Alice told her. “Do you want to know what you’re getting for a sibling?” Betty nodded, and she gave the two of them an expectant look. “A little sister,” she breathed. “It’s a girl.”

 

“You can say hi, if you want to,” FP told her, the blanket that had been covering himself and Alice having slipped down to reveal that he was clad only in pajama pants and that the undershirt of his that Alice was wearing did nothing to hide the little one on the way. “That’s okay, right, Al?”

 

“Do you want to, honey?” Alice asked her, and he watched her lift her shirt up to reveal her bare belly. He wanted to cover her skin with kisses. Betty placed the hand that wasn’t in a cast carefully on the bump, her eyes filled with curiosity. He supposed that was better than tears. “Soon, little Begonia here,” she smiled softly at him, amusement in her eyes. “Will kick for her big sister.”

 

“You’re naming the baby Begonia?” Betty asked.

 

“No, but, until we decide on an official name for her, as a family, I think calling her Begonia is sweet.” 

 

FP grinned at that. “You think that you might be able to go back to sleep?” He asked her. “If you stay in here with us?”   
  


“Can I, Mommy?”

 

“Sure,” Alice said. “I can cuddle with some of my favorite people.”

 

“I love you, Mommy,” Betty said, and he watched her hug Alice ferociously, before she laid down beside her. “Night, Mr. Jones.”

 

“You can call me FP. If you want,” he offered, as he shut out the light and laid back down, reclaiming his spot next to Alice, who seemed quite content with her status as favorite person in the trailer. “Night, babe,” he said, kissing her lips. “Night, Begonia. You be good to your mama, precious. Don’t keep her up late.” He rubbed her belly for a moment. “Al?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Is it okay if I do this all night?”

 

“Do what?”

 

“This,” he said, resting his hand on her bare skin. “It won’t bother you, will it?”

 

“No, you can,” she said. “It’s fine, Jonesy. But, I can do you one better,” she offered, her voice filled with sleep. “Come cuddle with me,” she insisted, and she pulled him close to her, before he could protest. Not that he wanted to protest, given that her bump was flush against him. “See? Isn’t that better?” 

 

“The best.” He kissed her on the lips. “Get some rest, Allie, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  
  



	2. seems you're the only one who knows (what it's like to be me)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth was that Alice had been planning to leave Hal when FP had been released from the rehabilitation facility, whether either man had figured it out or not. She was growing tired of having to pretend to even tolerate the man that she had married, and, well, the pregnancy was growing difficult to hide (not that Alice wanted to hide it, no, she was excited to be having a baby with FP. She loved him, and she wanted him to have the chance to be the baby’s father). So, in light of that fact, she had added some basic creature comforts to his trailer, that would appeal to her children, and that would appeal to herself. There was no need for the trailer to remain dormant, after all, and she had been glad to make some...needed improvements to it to make it befitting for human society. Things like...food in the kitchen, and toiletries in the bathroom, and things that she and the girls would need, like clothes of their own. She wasn’t a stupid woman. She knew that Hal could be dangerous.

When FP found himself waking up for the second time, it was at a much more reasonable hour to be awake. The sun was out, it was morning, and, for the first time in a very long time, he did not have to try to fight through a hangover to get out of his bed in the trailer. It wasn’t like he was a morning person, but it was nice to not have a pounding headache. Alice was soundly asleep next to him, her arms wrapped around his chest, and her legs wrapped around his. He smiled softly at her, playing idly with her hair, as she snored. Betty, however, was awake, and was sitting on the other side of the bed, looking at the magazines he’d brought her. 

 

“Can’t sleep?” He asked her quietly. He didn’t think that Alice would wake up, but he didn’t want to risk it. “You want to see if the TV will still get cartoons?”   
  


Betty shook her head. “I don’t want to wake up my mom,” she explained. 

 

“You can watch out in the living room, if you want,” he offered. “She’s okay,” he added. “Your mom. She’s probably just tired because of the pregnancy.” Betty worried her lower lip. “But, uh, it’s cool with me if you stay here,” he added. “I just don’t want you to feel obliged or anything.”

 

“I’m not bothering you, am I?” 

 

“Oh, no, Betty, you’re not,” he assured her. “I don’t mind you staying in here, I’m not mad at you, or anything. I just didn’t want you to feel like you  _ have _ to be in here to make sure that your mom is okay, because I promise you, that I won’t let anything happen to her, to either of you.”

 

“I know,” she said, her voice quiet. “Dad hates when I go into their room. He gets really mad, and he says that I’m too old to get scared at night, and he won’t even let me and Polly share a room anymore. I didn’t mean to spend the night in here, I just --”

 

“I said it was fine with me,” he said. “Spending the night. Of course you want to spend the night with your mother. Your dad did a horrible thing. I’m sorry that he hurt you. He  _ did _ hurt you, right? That’s how you broke your arm?”

 

“He didn’t break my arm,” she said. “I fell off a ladder.” 

 

“Because Mary and Fred wouldn’t let you into their house when you tried the normal way?” 

 

She nodded. “It’s no big deal,” she said. FP begged to differ. “I mean, they were eating dinner. It  _ was _ rude of us to interrupt.” 

 

“Is that what they said to you?” 

 

“Not Archie,” she said. “Or Fred.” 

 

“So, Mary Andrews, attorney at law, decided that was an appropriate thing to say to a hurt second grader?” His eyebrows rose to alarming heights. “What bullshit. Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

 

“It’s okay, FP,” Betty said, gazing at him shyly. “She doesn’t like my mom, so it was stupid to expect anything different.”

 

“It wasn’t stupid,” he said. “I don’t even know who some of my neighbors are, and if one of them came to me and needed help, I would do my best to help them. You’re her son’s best friend. She couldn’t shut up about how she felt  _ after _ you fell off a ladder because she couldn’t be bothered to answer a doorbell? I swear to you, Betty. She is damn lucky that neither of you were seriously hurt, because that would be the last thing she did if you had been.” 

 

“Not liking someone doesn’t mean that you can just leave them to rot, okay?” He sat up, and Alice shifted slightly, before tucking herself against his new position. “How is your arm?” He added. It seemed like the right thing to do. “You gotta sling?”

 

“It hurts a little,” she said after a moment, and he watched her wrinkle her nose. “No sling, they said that I didn’t need one. Neither does Mom.” 

 

“Want me to see if I have anything for you to take?” He offered. “I mean, honestly, it looks like your mother cleaned up the place, so there’s a chance I might have something.” He stretched his arms out. “Yeah, you should probably take something,” he decided. “I’ll go see, yeah? You can stay with Allie.”   
  


“Okay,” Betty agreed. “I promise, I won’t wake her up.”   
  


“It’s cool, kid,” he said. “She’s your mom. I don’t think she’ll mind.” 

 

FP crawled out of bed and plunked the t-shirt he’d worn the day before off his bedroom floor, and he slipped it on as he padded down the hallway into the bathroom. The trailer was small, but it was home. It was big enough for their family for the short term, at least. Alice was pregnant, and the baby had a ways to go before she had her, and, well, Begonia was going to be a baby. They were small enough to fit in places, weren’t they? He thought so, at least. It was true that they weren’t going to be able to stay in the trailer forever, but he really hadn’t intended for that to happen, even before the divorce, and Alice, and his rehab. He had always wanted to at least have a bigger trailer. If not a house. It had just been...really fucking hard to function enough to get to that point. 

 

He used the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet, unsurprised by the fact that it had managed to become neatly organized and actually stocked, most likely by Alice’s hand, though he supposed it was possible he had drunkenly done so at some point and forgotten about it. Given the fact that there wasn’t a generic in sight, though, he would bet money on it being his girl’s doing. He stifled a yawn before grabbing the children’s pain relief, hoping that Betty wouldn’t put up much of a fight about taking it, and headed back towards his bedroom. He paused in the doorway, and watched the twosome for a moment. It appeared that Betty had commandeered his spot on the bed in his absence, and it also appeared that Alice had woken, not that either noticed him, they were too engrossed in her bump. 

 

He smiled fondly at the scene in front of him. “Am I interrupting anything?” He asked, his tone playful. “Didn’t know you were up, babe?”

 

“I couldn’t sleep,” she replied. “You woke up the baby.” She gazed adoringly at him. “Thank you for getting that medication for Elizabeth,” she added. “Come join us.”

 

“What do you mean, I woke up the baby?”

 

“She’s kicking,” Alice supplied. “Harder than she’s ever kicked before.” She waved him closer. “Come here, see if you can feel it.” FP was nervous about feeling the baby, but Alice’s grin was infectious, and he got back into bed, on her other side, and he let her take his hand and place it on her bump. “Talk to her,” she insisted. “She likes the sound of your voice.”   
  


“That makes two of us, Begonia,” he said, and he smirked. “Daddy likes the sound of his own voice, too.” He grinned. “Uh, Al, I don’t know what to say to her,” he admitted, feelings of nervousness coming over him. “I don’t know where to begin.” 

 

“It doesn’t have to be anything big, or special,” she said in reply. “She just likes when you talk.”   
  
“Okay,” he said. “Good morning, princess,” he settled on, after a moment of thought. “What are you up to in there? Your mama says that you woke her up, what’s that about?” He cleared his throat. “Did you miss me? I’m sorry I left, I had to get your sister something.” He pressed a kiss to her belly, and he felt  _ something _ in response. His eyes lit up. “Babe, is that…?” He felt it again, stronger than the last time. “Oh,  _ hi _ there, precious. What are you up to?”

 

“Seems like she’s saying hello to you,” Alice offered. “Little attention seeker.”   
  


FP could have spent the whole day with his head on Alice’s abdomen, but, he knew that that was unrealistic. There were things that needed to be done before he went back to the program, whether he wanted to admit that or not. Plus, there was Betty to consider. And Polly.

 

“Come say hi to Begonia,” he beckoned. “It’s really cool.”   
  


“Mom?”

 

“Yes, Elizabeth, I want you to,” she insisted. “And so does FP.” He nodded in agreement. “First, honey, though, let FP give you your medication,” Alice commanded, as she snuggled into his pillows. “I know you don’t want to take it, but you have to.” 

 

“You want me to…?” He trailed off, awkwardly, as he realized it was probably less Alice wanting it and more that he was the only one capable. “It’s alright, Betty, come here.” He poured out a dose of the medication, trying not to wrinkle his nose at the smell. “You’ll feel better.” He handed her the cup, and watched to make sure that she drank it, rather than spitting it out. Jughead was a fan of faking his medication consumption, no matter how angry his doing so had made Gladys. “You feel okay?” He asked Alice. “I don’t know what’s safe for you an’ the baby an’ all. Otherwise I would have got you something.”

 

“I’m okay,” Alice said. “For now, at least, I’m fine. Elizabeth,” she commanded. “Come say hello to your sister.”

 

“Are you sure that it won’t hurt her?” Betty asked. “I don’t want to hurt her, Mom. What if I hurt her?” 

 

“You’re not going to hurt her,” Alice chastised.

 

“You want me to help you?” He asked her. “You won’t hurt her, though, your mom is right.”

 

Betty appeared to be considering his offer, and she nodded shyly. “If you want to,” she said. “I believe you, Mom,” she added. “I just...what if she knows I’m not really her sister, that my dad is that mean person that didn’t want her around? What if she doesn’t want me to say hi to her? Because of Dad?”

 

“Listen to me,” FP said. “I have never liked your father. I didn’t like him when we were kids, and my opinion on him never improved as we got older. He was a jerk when your mother and I were younger, and he’s now moved on to being an abusive bully. When Jughead told me he was friends with one of the Cooper girls I damn near almost fainted, I thought he was pulling my leg. And, then, I met you, and, I realized, you are nothing like that man. You might share his blood, but you two are nothing alike. I swear to you.” He ran his hand through his hair. “The baby is going to feel the same way.” 

 

“I miss Jughead,” Betty whispered. “I wish he would come home.”

 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I miss him too. Maybe he’ll be able to visit someday.”

 

“Can I tell him about the baby?” She asked. 

 

A glare from Alice caused him to not blurt out the fact that Jughead already knew about the baby, and he found himself nodding in response to Betty’s question. “Yeah, you can,” he said. “If you want to. I mean, it’s alright by me and your ma.” 

 

“Okay!” She gave him a tight hug, and he found himself hugging her back, thoroughly perplexed about the sudden turn his life had taken. Alice wanting to be a family with him was one thing. He could see why she would want him to be involved in their daughter’s life, and, well, he did not want her or the baby around Cooper, not when he was behaving like a damn loose cannon. Betty wanting to be part of their family was a surprise. Not that he was complaining. “Is Jughead going to be my brother?” 

 

“Uh, eventually, I hope he’ll be your stepbrother,” he tried to explain. “And Jellybean will be your stepsister, and Polly’s, as well. That would make me your stepfather. It’s just that, your mother and I, we’re not sure when eventually will be,” he rambled. “Hopefully before Begonia gets here,” he added quietly. “But it might have to be after.” He sighed. “Not that you  _ have _ to consider us anything,” he added. “I mean, you don’t have to.”

 

“I want to,” she replied. “You’re Begonia’s dad, so, I want to.” 

 

“Yeah?” He tried to keep the disbelief out of his voice. “You do?”

 

“Jug is my best friend,” Betty said. “Why wouldn’t I want him to be my brother? Stepbrother? And you don’t make my mom cry, and I don’t think that you’d hurt her like my dad does, so I want you to be my stepdad. I mean, you left that business trip that Mom said you couldn’t leave to come see her,” she continued. “That must mean you really love her.”   
  


“Yeah, I really do,” he agreed, and he leaned over and gave Alice a kiss. “You’re okay with that?”   
  


“Yeah, I mean, that’s what parents on TV do,” she said. “Love each other?” 

 

“Yeah, that’s what the parents on TV do,” he agreed. “You wanna say hi to your sister?”   
  


“Uh huh, do you think you can get her to kick for me? I really want to feel, Mommy told me that it tickles her.” 

 

“Yeah, of course I can,” he told her. “Come here, give me your hand. Is she still awake, Allie?”

 

“She is,” Alice confirmed. “I think she knows that we’re safe now, that things will be okay. For all of us.” 

 

Betty climbed on to his lap, and he brushed a kiss to the top of her head, relieved when he noticed that the affectionate gesture made Alice smile. He sighed at the state that Betty’s hair was in, and he tugged the ponytail holder out of what he was certain had originally been an immaculate ponytail, before Hal had gone psychotic and Betty had become one with the Andrewses’ prized rose bushes. It really served Mary right that Betty had fallen into them. Though, really, he wished she hadn’t fallen at all. Fuck all of them, was his point of view. Both Fred and Mary sucked, and Archie was loud and obnoxious. If he didn’t need a job for the sake of the family, he would have cut his friendship off with Fred entirely on the ride over. 

 

“I’ll fix your hair for you,” he assured her. “After you feel Begonia.”

 

“You don’t have to--”   
  


“It’s alright, Al,” he promised. “Let me do things for you for two days, you can recover a little, and I can feel like I have a purpose in life.” He took Betty’s uninjured hand in his, and he carefully placed them on the spot that Alice kept moving her hand to, and pressed down gently. “Begonia, do you wanna say hi to your big sister?” He asked, as he hoped that hearing his voice would please the baby. “Betty here, she loves you very much. You mean the world to her.” Betty giggled, and he felt himself puff up with pride, as little Begonia really made her presence known. “She seems happy,” he commented. “Active little thing. Maybe she’ll play football like her daddy.” He smiled at Alice, who was eying him and Betty with what appeared to be happy tears in her eyes. “You alright, babe?”

 

“Yeah,” she said. “I’m just hormonal. I’m happy. I promise. I just like seeing you two together.”

 

“I like it too,” he admitted. “It’s cool, isn’t it, Betty?” 

 

“The coolest. Did you really play football?” 

 

“Yeah,” he said. “I was the quarterback. Captain of the team, even. Thought I had a chance of going pro.” He sighed. “I was getting scouted.”

 

“Why didn’t you?” Betty asked. He shrugged. 

 

“Sometimes, things don’t work out how we want them to,” he answered. “It just wasn’t meant to be, and, honestly, I’ve got to be alright with that.” He shook his head. “Took a bad hit on the field during the homecoming game, when your ma and I were seniors,” he added. “He claimed it was an accident, that the turf was wet, and that he tried to stop. I think we all know that was a lie.”

 

“Oh god,” Alice interjected. “Are you serious?”

 

“I wouldn’t lie about that,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not like I was that great, Alice. Or that I could afford college, even if I had gotten in. I wasn’t good enough to go pro,” he elaborated. “Plus, I wouldn’t have this,” he said. “I wouldn’t have you, or our daughter that’s on the way, or any of our children. This makes me happy. You make me happy. More happy than football  _ ever _ would have made me.” Begonia kicked -- rather hard for her tiny self -- and his grin grew even wider. “See, Allie? She likes me. She likes her old man.”

 

“You’re not old, Jonesy,” she replied. “We’re only 33. She does seem rather entranced by you, though, both you and Elizabeth. What do you think of the baby, darling? Betty?”   
  


“She’s kicking for me,” Betty replied. “And for her dad. She knows who we are.”

 

“Of course she knows who you are,” she assured her. “Betty has been accompanying me to my doctor’s appointments,” she elaborated. “Haven’t you been, sweetheart?”   
  


“Yeah, Mommy asked me to,” she told FP, craning her head in his direction. “That’s okay, right? That I went? She said that you wouldn’t mind, but I wanted to make sure.”

 

“I don’t mind at all,” he answered. “My job is keeping me busy for a little while longer,” he said, continuing the business trip lie that Alice had decided to concoct. “So it makes me feel better that your mom isn’t going to her appointments alone, because I don’t want her to feel alone. And, I’m glad that you’re going with her, because I know how important she is to you, how close the two of you are.” 

 

“That doesn’t make you mad?” 

 

FP had a good suspicion that Betty clinging to Alice made Hal angry, but he was determined to prove that he wasn’t like that. He wasn’t going to stop Betty from having a close relationship with her mother, if that was what the younger girl wanted, and it was clear to him that she did. 

 

“No,” he said, firmly. “Nothing like that will make me mad at you. Have I ever been mad at you?”   
  


“No, you’ve always been nice to me,” Betty answered. “Sometimes, Juggie would say that you didn’t feel well, but even then, you were nice.”

 

“I promise, that won’t change. You’re allowed to be close to your mother, kid. I won’t stop you.” Betty beamed, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I have an idea,” he said. “Why don’t we go back to sleep for a little, because your mom looks exhausted? We all had a long night, and I think it would be alright to cuddle together. Then, maybe we can have breakfast at Pops, if your mom feels up to it? And then we can go grocery shopping, so you guys will have enough to eat until I get home for good?”

 

“‘Kay,” Betty said, and she scrambled off his lap and carefully curled up beside Alice. “How much longer will you be gone?”   
  


“Just twelve days,” he said. “It feels like an eternity, though,” he admitted. 

 

“No, Jonesy,” Alice corrected, her tone gentle, and her smile soft. “Nine. These three days count.”

 

He thought about it for a second, before realizing that Alice was right. “You’re still gonna come visit, right?”

 

Betty let out a quiet snore. Alice nodded. He grinned. “Every day,” she answered. “You will get quality visitation with me and the baby.” She reached out and stroked his beard. “I wasn’t aware that you wanted me to visit you.”

 

“It’s embarrassing,” he admitted. “Alice, I was mortified when you gave me that ultimatum, and even more so when I realized that you had spent so much money on me. I hated that I needed to be sent away to dry out, that I had screwed up so much that you didn’t trust me to sober up on my own. And it was worse when I realized that you were right to do that, because I wouldn’t have. I would have fucked up again and again and it would have affected you and your girls, not to mention our child, and I don’t blame you for not wanting that. That still doesn’t mean that I wanted you to see where your money was going. I don’t want you to be ashamed of me.”

 

“I’m not ashamed.”

 

“I know you’re not,” he admitted. “And, I miss you so much, that it hurts to breathe sometimes. I just didn’t want to ask you to come and have you get in shit with Hal. I knew how he treated you.” He sighed. “Now, I guess, it doesn’t matter. I can get over a bit of embarrassment if it means that I get to see you and bond with our child every day. I don’t want her to forget me, and I would feel better if I saw visual proof that you were okay.”

 

“She’s not gonna forget you,” she promised. “You’re her father. But, the idea of being doted on does make me a happy mama. What about my children?”

 

“They can come, if they want,” he said. “If you want it to be just you, I won’t say no.” He gave her a brief kiss. “You tired, babe?”

 

“Yeah, growing your child takes a lot out of me.” Alice huffed, and he grinned at the expression on her face. “She seems to think that I enjoy being constantly exhausted. What’s so amusing to you?”

 

“You,” he said softly, and he pressed a kiss on her lips. “You’re cute, babe.” He pressed a kiss to her belly. “Try to calm down, munchkin, for your mama’s sake. She wants to sleep for a little bit more.”

 

“Thanks, Jonesy,” Alice whispered. “Will you sleep with us?”

 

“I’m not gonna leave you until I have to,” he whispered, and he inched closer to her, taking care not to jostle her broken arm. “Sweet dreams, baby.”

 

She gave him a kiss on the lips. “Mmm,” she breathed. “Sweet dreams are made of this?”

 

“Who am I to disagree?” He carefully placed his hand on her bump. “She calming down?”

 

“A little,” she whispered. “It’s alright, Jonesy. I can sleep through it.”

 

“I was thinking that, maybe, I could sing her a lullaby,” he admitted, feeling his entire face flush red, due to the nervousness he felt about the idea. He didn’t know if Alice would hate it, or if it was dumb. “If you wanted me to, I mean. Cos, I was thinking that maybe it would calm her down, or at least--”   
  


“Yes,” she responded immediately. “I think that is so sweet. Sing to her.” 

 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to disturb Betty.” A pout appeared on Alice’s lips, and he leaned over to kiss it, before he changed his tune. “Of course I’ll sing to her,” he whispered, and he adjusted himself on the bed, so his head could rest on Alice’s belly. “This okay?”

 

“Yes,” she said, and he felt her card her fingers through his hair. “Sing for us. You always were my favorite singer, in that band you used to have. What was it called again? The Egotisticals?” She giggled. He smirked.

 

“The Fred Heads, babe,” he corrected her. He kissed her belly again. “You were always my favorite fan.” 

 

“I stand by my original comment.” He didn’t have much, and he knew that, but he thought there was a possibility that she was happy, and that he was the cause of it. That made him happy. FP loved Alice, had loved Alice, and would continue to love Alice, no matter how she felt about him. It was an unfortunate truth. So, a happy Alice meant that he was a candidate for the happiest man in Riverdale. 

 

“Once there was a way, to get back homeward,” he started to sing, his voice husky, and directed solely towards the little one on the way. “Once there was a way, to get back home. Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby. Golden slumbers, fill your eyes, smiles await you when you rise…”

  
  


***

  
  


“Look, Elizabeth, how precious,” Alice declared. “Can you get my phone? I want to take a picture.” She tenderly tousled FP’s hair while she waited, smirking as he cuddled closer to her bump, still soundly asleep. The baby had been lulled to sleep by her father’s singing, as had Alice, and it appeared that it had had the same effect on the man himself. 

 

“I can take the picture, Mommy,” Betty told her, once she’d returned with the device. “That was you and FP can both be in it.”

 

“I would like that, sweetie,” she agreed, and she smiled a genuine smile as she was being photographed, realizing that she actually...felt happy. It was almost disconcerting. “Thank you for being so well behaved.”

 

“I like FP,” she said, as she climbed back into bed. “He doesn’t make me feel stupid, like Dad does. And he makes you happy. You and Begonia.” 

 

“I love you, Betty,” she murmured, and she pulled her into an awkward hug. “I am so sorry that things got to the point that they did. I should have left sooner. Maybe you wouldn’t have broken your arm. When did your father do that?”

 

“I fell off a ladder,” she said, and Alice felt her eyes widen. “You were hurt, I was worried about the baby, and Mr. and Mrs. Andrews weren’t opening the door, I didn’t want Dad to wake up and find us and I didn’t know what else to do--”

 

“Elizabeth,” she said. “It’s alright, I’m not angry. I’m just...God, Elizabeth, I am so sorry.”

 

“It’s not your fault, Mommy,” her little girl insisted, and she pressed up against her. “FP said that I could watch cartoons if I wanted to, earlier,” she chirped. “Can I?”

 

There was a television in FP’s bedroom, and Alice found herself nodding, as she spied the remote on the bedside table nearest her daughter. “Yes, that’s fine,” she agreed. “I had the cable reinstalled. It should work.”

 

The truth was that Alice had been planning to leave Hal when FP had been released from the rehabilitation facility, whether either man had figured it out or not. She was growing tired of having to pretend to even tolerate the man that she had married, and, well, the pregnancy was growing difficult to hide (not that Alice wanted to hide it, no, she was excited to be having a baby with FP. She loved him, and she wanted him to have the chance to be the baby’s father). So, in light of that fact, she had added some basic creature comforts to his trailer, that would appeal to her children, and that would appeal to herself. There was no need for the trailer to remain dormant, after all, and she had been glad to make some...needed improvements to it to make it befitting for human society. Things like...food in the kitchen, and toiletries in the bathroom, and things that she and the girls would need, like clothes of their own. She wasn’t a stupid woman. She knew that Hal could be dangerous. 

 

“What are we watching?” Alice asked, as Betty turned on the television, settling back down beside her, and she smiled as her daughter placed her hand on her belly. FP let out a loud snore. “I think she’s sleeping, like her daddy, right now.” 

 

“Can I watch Kim Possible?” Betty tucked herself closer to her, and she let out a sigh, reluctantly nodding. “Thank you, Mommy. You are the best.” 

 

“Mommy’s just happy to be with two of her favorite people,” she told her. She idly played with FP’s hair. “Three.”

 

“Do you think that Begonia will want to watch cartoons with me when she’s born?”

 

“Maybe when she’s a little older,” she said. “I’m sure she will.”

 

“I love you, Begonia,” Betty said. “Ooh, Mommy, she kicked!”

 

“That’s cos she loves you too,” FP interjected, his voice filled with sleep. “She’s saying good morning, probably.”

 

“Did she wake you up?” Betty’s tone was curious, and she glanced down at Alice’s abdomen in awe. “She kicked so much when you said that.”

 

“She’s agreeing with me,” he said. “And she might have. Woken me. But it’s cool. She seems happy with herself.” 

 

This was true. The baby was quite happily moving around inside of her. Especially since Betty had her hands on her belly, and FP still had his head against her side. Alice giggled. 

 

“Wouldn’t you be happy with yourself if you were the center of attention?” FP grinned at her. She smiled back. 

 

“Sorry I fell asleep, Allie,” he said. “I didn’t mean to.”

 

“Don’t be, I thought it was cute,” she assured him.  “You’re always welcome to use my bump for a pillow. As long as the baby doesn’t mind. Come up though and watch some of Betty’s show with us.” 

 

Truthfully, Alice just wanted to kiss FP, and was hoping that the show would leave Betty distracted. Her pregnancy hormones, combined with his presence, had made her incredibly amorous. They had previously made her unbelievably repulsed when faced with Hal, which meant that the last time Alice had done anything sexually had been in the back seat of her station wagon in the parking lot of the rehabilitation center, when she’d impulsively propositioned FP. He had been surprisingly tender with his ministrations, taking care to make sure that she and the baby weren’t uncomfortable throughout, despite the hungry look in his eyes and the taste of cheap whiskey on his breath. It had been nice, feeling like she’d mattered. Like she was wanted. She’d always felt that way with him. 

 

“I missed you,” she breathed, ducking her head so she could press a kiss to his lips. “I’ve missed this.” 

 

“You know I’ve missed you, babe,” he murmured in agreement. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Happy,” she replied, as she stroked his beard. “A little sore, and my arm hurts a bit, but I’ll be okay. I am a little hungry though.”

 

“What would my girls like?” FP asked. “Do we have anything?”

 

She gave him another kiss. “I believe you promised Betty and me that you would take us to Pop’s,” she said, her stomach rumbling in anticipation. “Your child doesn’t wish to deviate from the plan.” She paused for a second. “Can you go get me a Pop Tart, though?” Both Betty and FP stared at her. “What? It’s what the baby wants.” 

 

“I don’t know if I have any,” he said, and she saw the guilty look that he gave her bump. “I’ll go look, though. I’ll be right back.”

 

“You do,” she told him. “I bought some the other day. I’ll come with you,” she offered. “I need to use the bathroom, anyways.” She turned to Elizabeth. “Are you okay with watching this by yourself, for a little bit, honey? I just need to talk to Jonesy about some things, and then we’ll get ready to go out to eat?”

 

“Of course. Love you, Mommy.” 

 

“Love you, too, baby.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Help me up, Jonesy?” 

 

“I can do you one better,” he said, a mischievous grin on his face, and the bed dipped as he kneeled on it in order to scoop her up in his arms, and she squealed. He held her close as he stood up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly. “You think it’s okay for me to carry you?”

 

“Yeah,” she promised. “It’s fine.” 

 

“You good, Betty?” He asked, and Alice smiled softly at him, the gesture warming her heart. Betty (thoroughly engrossed by her show) nodded, shooting a quick glance of acknowledgement in his direction. “We’ll be out here, if you need us.”

 

Alice was enjoying the feeling of being in FP’s arms. It was nice that he wanted to carry her, that he’d cared about whether it was safe for the baby. A part of her wished that he didn’t have to go back to the program, but, she knew that following through on the rest of his rehabilitation was more important than her childish wants. And it was only going to be nine days. “I can really visit you?” She asked, as he stopped in front of the bathroom, and gently put her down. “If you don’t want me to, that’s fine, I understand.”   
  


“I’d love to have you visit me,” he whispered. “Can’t promise it would be much fun, but, I can’t wait to see two of my girls.” His hands had migrated to her belly, and the baby kicked for him. “You’ll still write?”

 

“Yes,” she said. “Just give me one second.” 

 

“Course, babe,” he said, and he gave her another kiss. “I’ll be in the kitchen.” 

 

Once she had finished in the bathroom, she padded barefoot down the hallway, after a quick glance into the bedroom to ensure that Elizabeth was contently watching the television (she was), and found FP in the kitchen, where he seemed to be eying its state in bewilderment. 

 

“You okay?” She asked, as she wrapped her arms around him. “What is it?”

 

“You did all this?” He asked, his tone one of surprise. “All this food, the cleaning, the full medicine cabinet? The  _ cable _ fucking television? How does this place even have utilities at all?” 

 

“I paid your bills,” she admitted. “And, yes, FP, I did. Like you said, it’s not like this was the first time that Hal hit me. I wanted to make sure that the only place I had to go to if things got bad was hospitable. Even if I didn’t end up needing to use it, I figured that you deserved a clean home, with food to eat, and the electric still on.” She sighed. “And the cable is for our benefit. We’d never get a moment’s peace without it.” She quirked at grin at him. “I wanted it to be a surprise when you got out.” 

 

“This is...wow, babe,” he breathed. “You’re amazing, you know that, right?” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “You still want your poptart?” 

 

“You have our child pegged, alright,” she said, and she giggled. “She’s a perfect mix of our genes, and you know that she’s not going to not get what she wants once she sticks her mind to it. You want to split one?” 

 

“You should eat, babe,” he murmured, and he kissed her tenderly. “Unless you wanted half of one kind and half of another?” His hand made its way to her abdomen. Alice contemplated the suggestion, and licked her lips at the thought. “You do want that,” he said. “So badass.”

 

“Let’s indulge little Begonia,” she said, and she stood on her tiptoes to open the cabinet that she’d put the poptarts in, and she took both boxes down. “You know that we aren’t naming her that, right?” 

 

“Don’t worry, babe,” he smirked, as he took a pastry from the box and snapped it in half. “Got plenty more for her where that came from.” 

 

“I suppose that I should try to get in touch with Polly,” Alice said. “I wonder if she ever went to school.”

 

“You let her have a sleepover on a school night?” FP asked, his smirk growing. “Our child is negatively influencing you.”

 

She popped a piece of the poptart in her mouth, as she inwardly marveled at how different things were with FP than they were with Hal. There was the obvious of course, that even in the throes of addiction, FP had never laid a hand on her. The only bruises she’d ever gotten from him had been from their sexual relationship, which, by the nature of it being illicit, had had to take place...creatively. And Alice had enjoyed it. Even at his most out of control, though, he had never threatened to hurt her, let alone, actually done so. He had accepted that he’d had a problem, and he had understood the parameters for being in the baby’s (and hers) life. Sure, he had grumbled about how he had to go to rehab, but he had actually done so. Alice could not say that Hal would have ever done anything on those lines for her. She knew better. Hal operated on what was best for Harold Cooper, and only Harold Cooper, though even that standpoint of his had taken a hit when he’d managed to be stupid enough to get busted for assaulting her the day before. 

 

“They weren’t eating dinner,” she said after a moment. “Fred and Mary. It was earlier than dinnertime.” 

 

“Fuck them,” he said. “They can go screw.”

 

“I thought that we were friends, though, that Fred was your friend, that he would help me,” she rambled. “I didn’t expect them to ignore Elizabeth, and now she’s  _ hurt _ and my God, FP, everything is so fucked up. I never wanted any of this. I wanted to leave him, and be with you. Not end up hospitalized because my husband has a temper.” 

 

“You’re better than all of them,” he said. “You always have been, and you always will be. Maybe it’s for the best. You’ll get your divorce now, and you’ll get the kids.” He sighed. “As for Fred and Mary...well, I would sue them for what happened to your daughter. Or I can get the guys to…?” 

 

“I just want to be done with it,” she admitted. “I’m too tired to get even. I have more important things to worry about.” 

 

“Like what?” He asked, his tone low. “What’s on your mind?”

 

“Well, for starters,” she replied, as she finished off the poptart. “We only have 26 weeks before this one makes her appearance. And, I’m really excited and really nervous and  _ so _ scared, Jonesy, it’s been  _ eight years _ since I had a baby, what if I’ve forgotten how to do everything? And then there is figuring out if I even still have a job, if I even still  _ want _ a job, I need to figure out what to do about Harold, and my girls, and I was thinking, that, if you wanted to, I would help you track Gladys down and force her hand to give you joint custody. If not full custody, with your stable job and the fact that she essentially  _ kidnapped _ your children when she found out about the baby.” She scowled. “That’s illegal.” 

 

“You’d do that for me?”

 

“In a heartbeat. For you, for those children.” She kissed him deeply. “You think that I’ll be a good mom, right?”

 

“Of course, Allie,” he murmured. “You’re the best mom in the world, and the baby is so lucky to have you as her mom, just like Betty and Polly are. She’s a lucky girl,” he said, and she elected to believe him. “26 weeks, though? That’s not that far away. I mean...it seems like it is,” he allowed. “But it’s not really, is it?”

 

“No, it’s really not,” she said. “Did you really mean what you said in there? That you wanted to marry me? And be Betty and Polly’s stepdad?   
  


“Yeah, I meant it,” he said. “You okay with that?”

 

“More than okay,” she breathed. “I’m just glad we’re on the same page.” She kissed him. “I can’t wait to be your wife.” 

 

“I can’t wait, either. I just want things to be okay.”

 

“They are,” she promised. “We’re okay. We’re going to be fine.” She gave him as tight a hug as she dared, given her sensitive breasts and her expanded abdomen. “I just really love you.”

 

“I love you too.” He said. “You think we should get ready to go out to eat? The kid’s probably hungry. What is she watching, anyways?”

 

Alice rolled her eyes. “It’s called Kim Possible. She knows I loathe it. I agree with you, though. I think breakfast sounds like a good idea.” 

  
  


***

 

Breakfast was a patented misnomer for the meal they were going to share, given that it was practically lunch time when they arrived at Pop’s, the three of them jammed in the cab of FP’s truck. Betty had requested to ride in it, and, well, it seemed like a reasonable way to accommodate his future stepdaughter. Plus, he knew that Alice couldn’t  _ drive _ the pickup truck, so it was an even better way to get her to relax and let him handle things for awhile. Betty’s hopeful expression had caused Alice to agree to the ride, and when the second grader had insisted on being in the middle seat, it had warmed FP’s heart. Not that he wanted to admit that he had a soft underbelly for an  _ eight _ year old (there would go all his street cred), but he had to admit that he was fond of her. 

 

“You feeling okay?” He asked Alice, once they’d parked, and he regretted asking when Betty’s expression turned fretful. He had meant it as as an aside (it was what you were supposed to ask your pregnant fiancee, right?) but it was clear that the young girl had taken it to mean that there was a chance that something was wrong with her mother. It wasn’t even like he could blame her, given what had happened. “Aw, Mini Coop,” he said, and he tugged the end of her ponytail. “I didn’t mean anything bad by it.” 

 

“Are you feeling okay, though, Mommy?” She asked. 

 

“The two of you,” Alice said, smiling softly at them. “You both worry too much. I’m fine, I promise.”

 

“But how is Begonia?” Betty pressed. “Did she like riding in the truck?”

 

“I think so,” she responded. “It seemed to lull her to sleep. I  _ definitely _ like riding in the truck.” 

 

Betty giggled. “She needs to take a nap, she’s a good baby.” 

 

“She’s the best,” he told them, feeling a bit like he was the cat who’d gotten the canary. Going out to lunch with Alice as a family? It felt like a really good dream. “You’re a good big sister,” he added. Betty grinned. “You hungry?” She nodded. “What about you, Al?”

 

“Starved,” she answered. “My semi-constant state.” 

 

“That’s our girl,” he whispered, a mischievous grin on his face. “Our precious, little, miracle, girl.” He leaned over Betty to kiss Alice on the cheek, before deciding to kiss Betty’s as well. “Come on, my lovelies. I’m gonna treat you both to as many milkshakes as you want.”

 

“Is that a challenge, Jonesy?”   
  


“Can I get a peanut butter one?”

 

“We can make it a challenge, babe,” he agreed, and he got out of the truck, scooping Betty up and depositing her on the ground, where she tightly clenched to his hand. “Gotta help your mom,” he said. “We can hold hands later, if you want.”

 

“Will you carry me in?” Betty asked. “Mom can’t anymore.”

 

“Yeah,” he said. “Uh, sure. Okay.” He turned back to Alice, and helped her out of the truck, and he brushed a kiss to her forehead. “That’s cool, right?” Everything about this was new to him. He was trying so hard not to screw anything up. 

 

“Yes,” Alice said. “I don’t mind. It’s okay,” she soothed, her non-broken hand caressing his cheek. “You’re going to be her stepfather, and we’re having a baby together. If Elizabeth wants you to carry her in, I’m going to endorse that.”

 

“Love you,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her fingers. “You look gorgeous.” He gave her a tender kiss, before he turned to Betty, who was waiting patiently beside them. “Come here,” he told her, and he lifted her in his arms, surprised with the ferocity that she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Let’s go eat.” The material of Betty’s cast was scratchy against his skin, but he didn’t let on. “Love you, too, Mini Coop.” Alice beamed. He heard Betty giggle. “We’re gonna have a good day today,” he promised them. “And, yes, you can have a peanut butter milkshake.” They entered the diner, which, mercifully, appeared to be mostly empty. He wasn’t afraid to show off his new family, or show his face in town, but he sensed that Alice and Betty didn’t need to deal with the staring. 

 

“Can we take a booth in the back?” He asked Pop. “Just for a little privacy, you know?”   
  


“Of course, FP,” he said. “I heard a rumor you were in town. And Alice. It’s good to see you again. Is that little Betty?”

 

“Hi, Mr. Tate,” Betty chimed in, and he held her closer, looping his other arm protectively around Alice, who shot him an appreciative look. He gave the diner owner a pointed look, and they were soon shown to the booth he had requested, handed menus, and the older man had taken his leave. Alice sat down, tucking the hem of her dress underneath her as she did, and he smiled as he noticed that she’d slipped off the shoes she’d insisted on wearing. 

 

“Gotta put you down, okay?” He told Betty. “Wanna sit next to your mom?”

 

“You don’t want to?” 

 

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “The baby needs to sleep, I don’t want to wake her up, you know? She’s napping.”

 

Plus, FP could tell that Betty wanted to sit beside Alice, and he wasn’t selfish enough to take that away from her. She was eight. He wasn’t going to try to compete with an eight year old whose entire life (minus Alice) had been upended in a matter of hours. 

 

“You’re right,” Betty decided, and she scrambled in beside Alice, who smiled down at her. “She does need to sleep. Mommy says that sleeping helps me and Polly grow.” 

 

“Polly and me,” Alice corrected, though FP could tell her heart wasn’t into it. “What is it that you want to eat?” She asked Betty. He slid in the booth so he was across from her, and he felt her plunk her legs on his lap, gazing at him expectantly as she perused the menus with her daughter. He moved one hand beneath the table, and started to rub her feet. He figured that it was the least he could do. “Do you want chicken fingers, Elizabeth?” Betty nodded. 

 

“What do you want, Allie?” He asked. “Or would asking what you don’t want be a quicker venture?”

 

“Don’t tempt me into ordering half this menu,” she said. “I think a triple bacon burger sounds nice,” she added. “With some onion rings. And my own chicken fingers. And french fries? Yes,” she conceded. “I think the baby wants fries.”

 

“What my baby wants, my baby gets.” He grinned. “Milkshake?”    
  


“Strawberry and dark chocolate,” Alice settled on, after a moment of thought.    
  


  
  



	3. i've been there before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Go on, Mini Coop,” FP encouraged. “Say hi to your sister.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have failed so hard at keeping this to 3 chapters.

“Can we watch a movie together?” Betty asked him and Alice when they arrived home from Pops, and she gave them both cow eyes as she waited for a response. “Please? We could have popcorn and Mommy could relax and maybe it would wake Begonia up?”

 

“Would you be okay with that, Alice?” He asked. He did like Betty’s point about her mother relaxing. “Or did you have something else in mind?”

 

“A movie sounds nice,” she said, and she rubbed her belly. “Begonia is awake,” she added. “So if either of you want to say hi, you can.”

 

“Go on, Mini Coop,” FP encouraged. “Say hi to your sister.”

 

“I want you to say hi with me, FP,” she requested. “Please?”

 

“Course, kiddo,” he agreed, and he took Betty’s hand in his, and placed them near where Alice’s were. “Feel her?”

 

Betty’s ponytail bounced as she nodded. “Yeah, she’s saying hi.” She grinned widely up at Alice, before she flashed a grin at him. FP felt his heart beat rapidly, but he smiled back, not sure if he was feeling terror or excitement, but not wanting to hurt Betty’s feelings. He couldn’t figure out why Alice’s daughter had decided to just accept him so wholeheartedly, but even he knew better than to ask the seven year old such questions. “Hi, Begonia. I’m your big sister.”

 

“She knows, baby,” Alice told her.  “Why don’t you tell her what we’re going to do?”

 

“Won’t she be jealous?” Betty asked the two of them, her gaze flitting between their faces. “I mean…”

 

“Nah, Betty, she won’t be jealous,” he said. “She’s kinda watching with us, isn’t she? And, your mom, she can be in the middle, so, uh, we can both pay attention to her and Begonia. I think she’ll like that.” He glanced over at Alice. “Allie, that’s alright with you, right?”

 

“I rarely have a problem with being the center of attention,” she said. “Especially from two of my favorites. I feel that Begonia is the same way.”

 

“That’s our girl,” he cooed, tenderly stroking her belly. “Just like her mama.”

 

“Don’t worry, FP,” Betty said, and he let her take his hand. “Begonia will be like you too.” 

 

“I don’t mind Begonia being like your mom,” he said, and he knelt down so he was eye level with her. “I love your mother. I’d much rather the baby be like her than like me, okay? Your mom is the best person I know.” 

 

“But, you’re her  _ daddy _ ,” she insisted. “You already told me you wouldn’t be like  _ my _ daddy, so why can’t Begonia be like both of you?” 

 

“Uh…” He supposed that Betty had a point. “I guess she can be,” he settled on. “And, no, I would never be like your dad. Not to any of you, Betty, I promise you that. I’ve screwed up a lot in my life, but I would never be like that.” 

 

“Do I have to see him again?” She asked. 

 

“I don’t know the answer to that,” he said. “Neither does your mom right now,” he added. “I will fight like hell to make sure you don’t have to be around him if he makes you uncomfortable.” She wrapped her arms around him, and he squeezed her back. “You and your mom, and your sisters, you’re gonna be okay,” he promised. “Nothing will happen to you, not while I’m around. You, Polly, your mom? You’re protected here, even when I go back to work. No one will let him near you, okay?”

 

Betty nodded. “Okay, FP. I wish you didn’t have to go back.”

 

“Yeah, me too,” he admitted. “I need to, though. But, uh, you can come visit me if you want. Your mom’s gonna come.”

 

“Do you really want me there?” Betty asked. “I understand if you’re busy. I mean. Mom has to visit you because of the baby. But-“

 

“Never too busy for you, sweetheart,” he assured her. “Yeah I wanna see you.” Even though he really didn’t want Betty realizing he was at a rehabilitation facility...well, whatever. He would put aside his humiliation at his current situation for the sake of his future step-daughter. “Gotta help keep me updated on Begonia.” He pressed a kiss to Alice’s abdomen. “That cool with you, Allie?”

 

“Yeah, of course,” she said. “I don’t mind at all.”

 

“Wanna sit down, babe?”

 

“Yes,” she said. “My feet are sore.”

 

“Want me to carry you?”

 

“Mmm, that sounds lovely,” she said. “Maybe we can watch the movie in bed?” 

 

“So you can relax, Mommy?” Betty asked. “It’s important to rest. Begonia needs you to.” Every time that Betty told Alice to rest, FP found himself smiling fondly at the younger girl. “Mommy doesn’t like to rest, FP.”

 

“It’s okay, kiddo,” he assured her. “We’re all gonna relax together, and watch one of the movies that Jughead left here, okay? You can pick it out while your mom and I get settled in bed, yeah?”

 

“Whatever one I want?” Betty’s eyes were wide. 

 

“Yeah, sure,” he agreed easily. “Whatever you want. If you want you can pick out a couple and we can have a movie marathon. That sound good, babe?”

 

Alice looked exhausted, but she nodded anyways. “Yes,” she said. “I might take a nap during it, though.” He watched as she rubbed her belly, before she stifled a yawn. “I don’t know why I’m so tired.”

 

“Cos you’re pregnant, baby,” he reminded her, as he carefully scooped her up and into his arms. He pressed his lips to her bump, and was rewarded with a kick. “You be good to your mom, kiddo,” he said. “I know you’re excited to be with me, but your mom and Betty have had a rough couple days. So, uh, maybe you let your ma rest for a little?” He gave her belly another kiss, as he marveled inwardly about how active their baby was. Little Begonia seemed content to ignore her father. Truthfully? FP didn’t really mind. “Sorry, babe,” he said, tone apologetic. “She seems to be captivated by me.”

 

“It’s cute,” Alice said softly, a smile on her face, when he looked up at her after finishing his conversation with Begonia. “How you talk to her, how you kiss my belly? I like it. Hal never did anything like this when I was pregnant with the girls.” 

 

“That’s because he’s a dick,” FP muttered into her ear. “God, Allie, I wish I could go back in time and change things. But then you wouldn’t have your girls. And I wouldn’t have Jug and Jellybean.”

 

“They’re your girls too,” she replied. “Betty clearly adores you, don’t you see that? I think she loves you. And, I’m sure that Polly will love you too.”

 

“I hope so,” he said. “I really want them to like me. And, I’m glad that Betty does. Cos it means a lot to me that she’s Jugs friend, even though they don’t live near each other anymore. She’s a good kid, Alice. I wouldn’t want a better big sister for Miss Begonia here.” 

 

“Betty loves Jughead,” Alice said. “Thank you for not telling her that he knew about…” She gestured to her abdomen as she trailed off. “She seems excited to share the news with him.”

 

“Aw, Allie, of course. I think it’s cute how excited she is. I mean, you told me that she was in your letters and I believed you, but she’s super into her and it’s so sweet. I’m surprised she lets you lift a finger.” He carefully placed her on the middle of the bed, and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Wanna change into something more comfortable?”

 

“Jonesy!” She chastised. “Betty is here.”

 

“I meant like the pajamas you wore to bed, or something,” he insisted. “Not that I don’t like what I see.”

 

“Oh,” she said, and he held back a smirk as she blushed violently. “I thought you were coming on to me.”

 

“Babe, you know I want you,” he admitted. “Pretty much every damn day of my life. But I know that Betty is most important now. I would never proposition you when she’s here.” He sat down next to her, and he idly played with her hair. “But when I come home, and the kids are at school? The trailer will be a rocking.”

 

“What about your job?”

 

“I’ll make time for you,” he promised. “It’s good for you, and the baby.” He smirked. “Course you could he always come to the site,” he said. “Bet we could sneak off.”

 

“Come here,” Alice commanded. “We might not be able to have sex right now, but, we can make out.” 

 

“Thought you were tired?”

 

“Horny, too,” she whispered in his ear. “Ugh, FP, I’ve missed you so much.”

 

“Missed you, too, babe,” he murmured, and he tugged her gently on to his lap, where she promptly straddled him, her lips meeting his in a hot kiss, her tongue begging entry into his mouth. They kissed feverishly. “So. Much.” 

 

Alice raked her nails down his chest. “You promise that you’ll take me when I come to bring you home?”

 

“Babe,” he insisted. “I’ll have you as many times as you want.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Trust me.” He grinned. “Can’t you tell?”

 

She giggled. “Oh, I can tell,” she breathed. “That’s very flattering.” She kissed him again. “Now, I believe, that you suggested I slip into something more comfortable.” 

 

“Yeah, so you can relax,” he said. “I love the dress, babe. I just think that since we’re going to be watching a movie, we could all be more comfortable. I--” His rambling was cut off when she tenderly pressed her lips to his. 

 

“I was just going to say that I liked the idea,” she told him, once she pulled away from him. “I just might need some help.” 

 

“Whatever you need, babe,” he told her. “Just name it, and you know I’ll do it. You say jump, I say how high? Same fucking shit.”

 

“Nothing quite that extreme, Jonesy,” she giggled, kissing him again. “Just...the same thing that we did last night?” 

 

“Of course, Al,” he murmured. “Whatever you need.” 

 

He helped her get out of the dress, and, if he’d peppered her bare skin with kisses and love bites, well, that was their business and no one else’s. He just couldn’t help how gorgeous she looked, laying in his bed, in just her underwear. Bad enough that Alice had those bruises from Cooper. The least he could do was make marks that reminded her of good times. 

 

“Sure we can’t just keep you like this, babe?”

 

“I would love to,” she breathed. “I just feel, with Elizabeth here, it wouldn’t be the best idea.”

 

“Yeah, true,” he agreed. “You’re gorgeous, though. No matter what you’re wearing.” He helped her get changed into his pajamas, and he stole little kisses as he worked. “Want me to go check on Betty?”

 

“If you don’t mind?”

 

“Course not, babe,” he said. “I’ll be right back,”

 

“Our daughter would like some chocolate, if you don’t mind. And pickles. And the popcorn.”

 

“Coming right up, pretty little girl,” he cooed at her belly. “Whatever you want.” He kissed at her belly button, rewarded with a nudge from the baby. “Love you.”

 

“We love you too, Daddy,” she said breathily. 

  
  


***

  
  


“Hey, kiddo,” FP said, having located Betty in front of a pile of DVDs, which she was examining with intent. “You need some help?” 

 

She glanced up at him, and shook her head, but he sat down beside her nonetheless, and she crawled onto his lap. “I’m okay,” she insisted. “I just want to make sure I’m picking the right movies. I don’t want to scare Mommy, or Begonia.”

 

“Begonia’ll be cool with whatever you pick,” he said quietly. “As for your mother, you sure you don’t want me to help?”

 

The tiny blonde seemed to consider this, and she nodded slowly. “Yeah, you can help,” she allowed. “Is Mommy okay?”

 

“More than okay,” he promised her. “Your sister is too. I’ve known your mom for a long time, kiddo. She’s strong.”

 

“How long?” Betty demanded. 

 

“Pretty much our whole lives,” he told her. “We grew up here in the trailer park. Lived next door to each other. We were friends.”

 

“You’re not anymore?”

 

“I love your mom, Betty. Yeah, we’re still friends, but it’s more than that. We’re having a baby together. I’ve never loved her more.”

 

“Okay,” she said. He was surprised when she curled up closer to him, and he looped an arm around her while he looked at the DVDs. “Okay.”

 

“Really, Betty, I do love her,” he insisted. “Her and our baby, and you and your sister, and Jughead and Jellybean.”

 

“My dad said really mean things about you when they were fighting, mean things about my mom, too.”

 

“What did he say?”

 

She snuggled herself closer than before. “That you guys were Southside scum. That he’d always known she’d never have stopped at the first round. I don’t know what that meant but it made her cry.”

 

“Don’t worry about that, kiddo.” He told her. “I think your mom will like these,” he said. “Wanna go bring them to her? Or you wanna help me get our snacks?”

 

Betty appeared to be contemplating her choice. “I’ll go with you,” she said. “Mommy should be okay, right? She and the baby were fine when you came out to join me?”

 

“She and the baby were perfect,” FP assured her. “And we’ll just be a couple more minutes.”

 

“She kicked?” Betty asked, her tone hopeful. He grinned.

 

“Oh yeah,” he said. “Seemed pretty happy to make her presence known.”

 

“She knows you love her,” she told him, as she followed him into the kitchen, and he got Alice’s requested food. “She probably feels safe.”

 

“I love you too,” he told her. “But yes, I think the baby does feel safe around me compared to your douchebag of a father. Don’t tell your mom I called him that in front of you.” Betty giggled. FP grinned. “You want me to carry you in there?”

 

“Yes,” she said, and he scooped her up, holding her with one arm and the food with the other. “You really think she’ll like the movies?”

 

“Your mom will love everything that you pick out.” He assured her. “Your mom loves you and Polly, Betty. That won’t change just because she’s got my baby in her belly. I swear to you.”

 

“I know,” she said, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’m excited for the baby though. She makes Mommy happy. You make her happy.”

 

“Do I?”

 

Betty nodded into his chest. “She loves you.”

 

“I love her too.” He said. “Love you both.” 

 

“This is cute,” Alice commented. “You like FP, Princess?”

 

“Uh huh,” Betty said. “He’s nice to me.” He carefully deposited the little girl on the bed beside Alice, and watched as she wriggled up against her mother. “Hi sissy,” she said. “She’s up!”

 

“Yes, she definitely is,” Alice agreed. “I told you, baby. She loves you. And she loves her dad too.”

 

“I know,” Betty said. “Come feel her with me,” she added, and (after a quick glance at Alice, who nodded encouragingly) he carefully placed her food beside her on the bed and sat down beside Betty. He placed his hand on top of hers, and Begonia obligingly rolled around. He grinned. 

 

“She’s strong, babe,” he commented. “Scrappy. Like you.”

 

“She’s wide awake,” she commented. “I’m glad she started to kick while you were home,” she told him. “It’s exciting, isn’t it?”

 

“Yeah,” he said, and he leaned over to press a kiss to her lips. “She must have been excited to meet me.” He glanced down at her bump. “I know I was excited to meet her.”

 

“I know you were,” she promised. “She does too. I read your letters out loud to her.”

 

“Do you?” He questioned. He felt himself start to flush. “All of them?”

 

“No, only the appropriate parts,” she insisted. “Come on, Jones. Give her a kiss.”

 

“Yeah, come on, FP. She wants you to.”

 

He blushed deeply, but he couldn’t say no to the identical looks of hope Betty and Alice wore, and, so, he gently pressed a kiss to her bump. The flutters made his day. “Love you too, baby girl.” He kissed her bump again. “I love you so much.”

  
  



	4. i can see that (im not blind)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His hand (which had been idly rubbing her belly) stilled, and she glanced up at him.

“No, I’m  _ not _ saying that you have to leave Cheryl’s house,” Alice said into the telephone, trying to silence a complaining Polly. She twisted the cord of the landline with her her free hand, as she nestled the phone between her ear and her shoulder, her other hand rubbing her bump. “I’m just calling to let you know that I’ve left your father.” 

 

“What?” Polly demanded on the other end of the line. “What are you talking about?”

 

“I’ve left your father,” she repeated. “I’m assuming it’s the normal thing to do when your husband strangles you because you want a divorce, due to the fact that you’re pregnant with another man’s baby,” she said, tone droll. “What about this is particularly shocking?”   
  


“Why would Dad do that?” Polly demanded. “Are you sure you aren’t making things up?”

 

“For Heaven’s sake, Margaret,” she snapped, and she exhaled loudly. “What is wrong with you? Do you think I just made up your father going on an absolute  _ rampage _ and terrorizing myself and your sister just because he thought it was unfair of me to want a divorce, to be with the man that I love, while he slept his way through the entire town?”

 

Alice could practically hear Polly rolling her eyes. She scowled. “I just don’t see what the big deal is,” she told her. “So what, the two of you fought? Betty will get over it.”

 

“This is not a matter that is up for debate, Margaret,” she informed her. “I said you could spend the weekend at Cheryl’s, did I not? Maybe you ought to quit while you’re ahead.” 

 

Polly cleared her throat. “I’m not going to stay at a  _ trailer park _ with you, Mom. In the Southside? Are you on drugs?”   
  


“You can, and you will,” she said, her tone firm. “The only reason I am not dragging you down to this trailer park by the hair is because FP and your sister took my car to the grocery store, and I can’t drive that truck of his.” She shook her head. “You can spend the weekend at Cheryl’s. That’s it.” 

 

“Wow, Mom, whatever.”

 

Alice was about to make a rebuttal when she heard a dial tone in her ear, and she returned the phone to its cradle with a loud, pointed, sigh. “Your oldest sister is a piece of shit sometimes,” she admitted out loud, and the baby kicked. “Yeah, you agree with me,” she said. “I know.” She rubbed her belly affectionately, perking somewhat when she heard a car park in front of the house, and the voices of FP and Betty came closer. “I think that your daddy is home,” she whispered. “You gonna kick for him?” 

 

Alice really was tempted to just beg FP to stay home with her, with the girls, with their family, but, she knew that nine days wasn’t that long a period of time, and, more importantly, that completing the program at the rehabilitation facility she had hand picked would be impressive in the eyes of a family court judge. She really wanted FP to have custody of Jughead and Jellybean again. Even if saying goodbye to him made her so sad. 

 

“Mommy!” Betty exclaimed, and she ran towards her, and wrapped her arms around Alice. “I missed you, did you have a nice nap?” She took a deep breath, before continuing. “Did you call Polly?”   
  


“Yeah,” she told her. “I told her that she could stay at the Blossoms this weekend.” 

 

Betty pouted. “Why? Doesn’t she want to hang out with us?” 

 

“Cheryl and Polly need to work on a project,” Alice lied. “Where’s FP?”

 

“I’m right here.” She smiled at him, and she beckoned him closer. “Gonna share your mom, Betty?” 

 

“You can say hi to her and Begonia,” Betty insisted. “Wait, Mommy, is Begonia done napping?”

 

“She seems to be,” Alice told her. “She must have known you two were almost home.”

 

“Hi, Begonia,” Betty cooed, and Alice smiled as she smashed a kiss to her belly. “I missed you.”

 

“She knows.” FP said. “You want to show your mom what we got for the baby, sweetheart?” Betty nodded eagerly, and she peeled herself off Alice. “You okay, babe?” He questioned, as he pulled her into a hug, which she eagerly reciprocated. 

 

“Yeah,” she said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a kiss, her lips lingering on his. “Just gonna miss you, that’s all.” 

 

“I’m gonna miss you, too,” he said, and he pulled her closer to him. She laid her head on his chest, feeling a bit less foolish since he had said he was going to miss her too. “You’re not gonna come visit me?” 

 

“Yeah, of course I am,” she promised. “Every day. I just...I liked waking up to you this morning,” she admitted. “It was nice, you were so sweet to Betty, and so caring to me and Begonia, and I just...I’ll just have one more night of it and then I’ll be alone.” She shook her head. “It’s stupid, I know it’s only for nine days and I don’t want you to drop out of the program just because I’m  _ lonely _ and I’m just hormonal, that’s all.”

 

“Allie, it’s okay. It’s not stupid. I’m gonna miss it too.” She felt him press a kiss on the top of her head. “Hey, and listen, if visiting me at rehab is too hard on you and Begonia, I don’t want you to feel you’re obligated.” 

 

“It’s not going to be,” she whispered. “I want to visit you, and so does Betty. Begonia will be alright.” As if in agreement, the baby kicked, rather hard, and she grinned up at her fiance, feeling downright playful. “What did I tell you?”

 

“I’m gonna miss this,” he admitted. “She seems to like me a lot.”

 

“It won’t be for very long,” she said, trying to cheer him, and she pressed a kiss to his lips. “What did you and Betty get for the little one?”

 

“They had these books that, uh, you can record yourself reading out loud in,” he said, and she noticed his blush. “And, uh, Betty and I thought I could record myself reading them, so that I could read to her and the baby while I was gone.” 

 

“That’s very sweet,” Alice said. “You’d do that for them?”

 

“I’d do anything for those kids,” FP insisted. “I love them, Allie.” 

 

“I know,” she said. 

 

FP had always been a person who had valued family wherever he could get it. It was why he had thrown himself so wholeheartedly into the Serpents after his father had thrown him out of the house, it was why she had forced herself to give Charles away instead of telling FP that they’d had a child together (he’d been talking about enlisting in the service, and Alice didn’t want him to not have a chance at a future because of her -- the decent future that he’d deserved, and not a terrible one with two teens raising a baby). She was willing to bet it was why he had married Gladys, as well. She was unsurprised that he had decided that (in the absence of Hal being anything vaguely resembling a good parent) he would pick up the slack with Betty as well. She just hoped that Polly got over her attitude and embraced FP as her stepfather. Alice liked the thought of them being a family together. 

 

“I was thinking,” she continued. “You’d really like her to be named Begonia?”

 

His hand (which had been idly rubbing her belly) stilled, and she glanced up at him. 

 

“Yeah, Allie, but, we don’t have to,” he said. “We can pick another name, together.” 

 

“I don’t mind,” she admitted. “I think it’s cute. We can pick her middle name, together, okay?” 

 

FP quirked a grin at her, and she smiled back. “Cool with me, babe.” 

 

“What are you guys talking about?” Betty asked. “I want to show you the presents, Mommy.”

 

“Here in the kitchen?”

 

“No, you should sit on the couch,” Betty instructed. “It will be more comfortable for you.”

 

“Yeah, Allie,” FP agreed (despite the glare Alice shot at him), and she let out a squeak as he lifted her into his arms. “Way more comfortable for you and Princess Begonia.”

 

“Am I a princess, too?” Betty asked, as she followed behind them into the living room. “Am I, FP?”

 

“Sure, you can be, if you want,” he said. “Your mom’s my Queen, aren’t you, babe?”   
  


“Yes.” Her response made his eyes light up, and she knew it had been the right thing to say. “Oh, Jonesy, you’re so cute,” she told him, as he sat down on the couch, still cradling her in his arms. “You want to stay like this?” 

 

“Yes,” Betty said. “We can all cuddle together,” she commanded. “And, I want to be a princess, FP.”

 

“You remind me of your mom,” he told her. “Of course you can be a princess,” he added. “Princess Betty.”

 

“What about you? Mommy’s your Queen, are you a King?”   
  


FP shot her a questioning gaze. Alice shrugged. “You can tell her, babe.” 

 

“I’m the Serpent King,” he explained. “I’m in charge of the Southside Serpents, and your mother is going to be my Serpent Queen.” 

 

“Do Mommy and I get to wear princess crowns?” 

 

“Sure,” he agreed. “Whatever you two want.”


	5. shiny happy people holding hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hal and I are not the only people employed at the Register,” Alice informed him, which was news to FP. “The underlings are perfectly capable of putting the paper to bed--readying the paper to be delivered.” She sighed. “Besides, I would much rather spend as much time with you as possible, even if it is limited.”

“You sure you’re okay with everything?” FP whispered into her ear, as he tightened his grip on her. “You’ll be safe here, I promise,” he told her. “You’re protected. It’s just nine more days.”   
  


“Yeah, it’s fine,” she said. “You need to finish that program,” she told him. “It will look good on your custody suit.” She shook her head. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll probably only leave the house to see you and to bring the kids to school,” she sighed. “I don’t have the energy to deal with the concept of the paper at this moment.”

 

“But we got a paper today,” he pointed out. She furrowed her brow. “I mean, how did that happen if you’re--”

 

“Hal and I are not the only people employed at the Register,” Alice informed him, which was news to FP. “The underlings are perfectly capable of putting the paper to bed--readying the paper to be delivered.” She sighed. “Besides, I would much rather spend as much time with you as possible, even if it is limited.” 

 

“What are you going to do about money?” He forced himself to ask. 

 

“I have money,” she assured him. “Hal never wanted our money to mix in the same accounts, so, he is incapable of touching it, if he’s going to get out of jail.” 

 

At the mention of being the Serpent Princess, Betty had wandered out to the room that had once been Jughead’s, hopeful that Alice had packed some of her princess dresses. This, unfortunately for the two adults, did give them some time to talk about things that neither one of them really wanted to. The therapist at the rehabilitation center insisted these things were  _ good _ for FP to accomplish, but, really, he thought they pretty much sucked. 

 

“I just don’t want to leave you here high and dry,” he told her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to get an advance from Fred?”   
  


“I’m not going to be high and dry,” she insisted. “I’ll even get my bankbook if you want me to prove it.” She raised a brow at him. “How well do you think getting an advance from Fred would go? I think that is something you should avoid, given his wonderful wife’s proclivity to do things that completely baffle me, in the eyes of the law.” 

 

“You’re probably right,” he murmured. “No, Allie, I believe you. I just...this is not at all what I wanted for you, you know that, right? I didn’t expect Hal to snap and try to off you, just because you were pregnant with my kid. How come he didn’t think she was his, anyways?”   
  


“That would have required the two of us having sex since Betty was born,” Alice informed him. “Given that Harold thought I was too disgusting to sleep with because I kept on a grand total of  _ five _ pounds of pregnancy weight...that possibility was nonexistent.” 

 

“He’s a fucking dick,” he said. “Fuck him, five fucking pounds. You probably couldn’t even tell. I’ve always thought you were hot, Allie,” he promised. “I continue to do so, especially now.” He moved his hand across her abdomen. “She’s quiet?”   
  


“I think you and Betty may have tired her out,” she giggled. “I’m sure she’ll wake up again soon.” 

 

“What about you?” 

 

Alice shook her head, and she shifted closer to him on the couch. “I’m okay,” she said. “The nap helped.” 

 

“You really think I got a chance of getting Jug and Jellybean back?” He asked her, his tone curious. “I don’t understand how that would work,” he admitted. “They’re gone, Allie. I don’t even know where they live.” 

 

“Elizabeth has their address,” she told him. “She sends them care packages. They’re in Toledo. And, yes, I think you have a chance. Gladys took your children across state lines  _ while _ you were in rehab,” she groused. “She didn’t even give you a chance to contest your divorce, and, honestly, I’m not sure that she’s doing the greatest job at being a functioning parent,” she said. “Elizabeth is constantly asking me to send food to them, and, I know that Jughead likes to eat, but…”

 

“Gladys doesn’t know how to be a parent,” he said. “She might talk a good game, but, she’s got no idea. Doesn’t do a damn thing to help Jughead with his hearing problems,” he stated. “And Jellybean...she’s so little. I never thought she’d take them, Alice. I knew she’d leave.”

 

“Honey,” she whispered, and he let her wrap her arms around him, as he breathed in the scent of her perfume. Alice smelled like home to him. She always had. “These are the reasons why I think you have a shot,” she said. “Didn’t you stay at home with them?”

 

“Yeah, after Fred fired me,” he snorted. “Sure that’ll look great.”

 

“But, he’s hired you back,” she pointed out. “With back pay, you said? So, that means, that you can say that you took time off from the workforce to help raise the kids, while Gladys was…?”   
  


“Told me she was getting her GED and working at Pops,” he supplied. “She was working at some strip joint.”   
  


“A strip joint?” 

 

“Yeah,” he scowled at the memory. “Tall Boy and Mustang were particularly fond of her career path.” 

 

“You don’t need to worry about me,” she told him. “You’re the only one I’d want to strip for.” 

 

She pressed a kiss to his lips. He tangled his fingers in her hair. She beamed.

 

“You know how much I love you, right?”   
  


“Yeah, Jonesy,” she whispered. “I know. You know I love you too, right?”

 

“Yeah, baby girl, I know,” he murmured, and he leaned back against the couch. “I really appreciate you helping me out, Al,” he insisted. “I just hope that it’s worth it in the end.”

 

“I don’t see why it wouldn’t be,” she assured him. “You have to try,” she added. “For the kids’ sake.”

 

“How the hell are they all gonna fit here?” He asked. “We could maybe do it with your girls and Begonia, but are we going to have all the kids in one room? That seems...potentially dangerous.” 

 

“I assumed that we’d look for a bigger house,” she said. “When you get out, I mean. I don’t care if we live on the Southside, but, do you really think squeezing everyone into the trailer is practical? We only have one bathroom.” 

 

“Yeah,” he agreed. “That sounds nice, Allie. A house, for all of us.” He kissed her softly. “Love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” she said. “Maybe we could even get a dog?” 

 

“I’d like that,” he said. “Hey, Princess,” he added, as he noticed Betty was peering into the room, clad in what  _ had _ to be some Northside princess dress Alice had bought for her. It was pink and sparkly and honestly sort of headache inducing to look at, but, the kid seemed happy wearing it, and he wasn’t going to stop her from being happy. “Lookin’ good.”

 

“Thanks, FP,” Betty said. “Are there any kids my age here?”

 

She barrelled over to the couch and squeezed in between him and Alice, who looked quite bemused at her own child. 

 

“Yeah, there are a few,” he said. “Girl named Antoinette lives a couple spots over,” he offered. “She’d like you, I’m sure. And there are a couple boys, Sweet Pea and Fangs.” Betty giggled. He smiled at her. “You think that’s funny, don’t you?”

 

“They have funny names,” she supplied. “They don’t go to school with me?”

 

“No, they go to Southside Elementary,” he told her. “You’re still gonna go to Riverdale. Okay? But you can be friends outside of school, yeah?”

 

“Okay, FP,” she said, and she snuggled closer to him. “Will you sign my cast? I wanted Archie to be the first one but he hasn’t been by to see me at all.”

 

“Of course I will,” he said. “I’m sorry that Red hasn’t been by.” FP meant that sincerely. He knew that Allie’s kid was close with Fred’s kid, and it really made him angry that Fred knew full well where Alice and Betty were staying, and, yet, couldn’t be bothered to drive the kid across town to see her. It was bullshit. “You want me to call and talk to his folks?”

 

Betty shook her head. “It’s okay, FP. I don’t want to see Mr. and Mrs. Andrews right now. They made me really mad yesterday.”

 

“I’m sorry, darling.” 

 

“It’s not your fault,” she said. “Can we show Mommy the sharpies we got?” She demanded. “FP let me get whatever I wanted,” she added. “He said that I was a good girl yesterday.” 

 

“You were the best girl,” Alice told her, and he watched as she pulled Betty into a hug, shooting him a grateful look as she did. “I am so proud of how you handled yourself, how you helped me and your sister, how well behaved you were at the hospital.” 

 

“I wanted to make sure you and Begonia were okay,” she whispered. “It was scary.”

 

“I know, baby,” Alice said. “So does FP.”

 

“Is it okay if I stay in your room with Mommy until you get home?” Betty asked, her tone curious. FP nodded. “Really? You’ll really let me?”

 

“Yeah, I don’t mind,” he said. “Whatever makes you feel better about staying here, okay?”

 

“Okay,” she said, and she slipped off the couch and made a beeline to the shopping bags, clearly an eight year old on a mission. 

 

“You’re sweet to her,” Alice mused. “She’s really taken to you.”

 

“She’s a good kid, Allie,” he said. “Why wait until things are official to treat her as my own?”

 

“That’s what I love about you, Jonesy. You’re always so sweet.” Betty returned, clutching her prized sharpies in both arms, and Alice giggled at the sight, taking her phone and snapping a pic. “You sure do have a lot of them, don’t you?” Betty nodded. “Would you like to sign my cast, too, princess?”   
  


“Can I draw on it?” Betty asked. “And sign my name? Or are too many people going to sign it?”

 

“You can draw as much as you want,” Alice said. “Pretty sure you and Jonesy are the only ones going to sign it. He can draw, too.”

 

“You can?” Betty’s eyes lit up, and FP hesitantly nodded. “Oh, will you? I’m gonna miss you so much, maybe the drawing will make me feel better.”

 

“You’re gonna miss me?” 

 

“Yes,” she said, and she wrapped her arms around him. “A super whole lot.” 

 

“Gonna miss you, too, kiddo,” he said, and he choked back a lump in his throat. “It won’t be for very long. I know you’ll help your mom.”

 

He took one of the proffered markers and began to draw on her cast, not wanting to press down too hard in fear of hurting her. There had been a time when FP had fancied himself an artist. He’d thought about going to school for architecture, back when school hadn’t been a pipe dream he’d never achieve, but he’d settled for the service, and, then, working with Fred. It had been a decent enough job, paid the bills, let him pretend he was worth something. He still missed drawing, though, even though he thought he wouldn’t be any good at it. Still, Betty was eight, and eight year olds did not hold him to anything resembling high standards. So, he drew, using whatever colors Betty had handed him. 

 

“What do you think?” He asked. “You like it?”

 

“Yes.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you, Jonesy--I mean, FP.”

 

“Jonesy’s cool with me,” he promised. “Just don’t want to be called Mr. Jones. Seems a little formal for your little sister’s dad, you know?”

 

“That makes sense,” she agreed. “Plus, you’re going to marry my mommy, right?”

 

“Soon as we possibly can.”

 

“Can I be a flower girl?” FP really didn’t know what a flower girl was, but the look of expectative joy in Betty’s eyes made him nod in agreement. 

 

“You can be whatever you want,” he told her.

 

“I’ll be the bestest flower girl ever,” she told them. “I love you,” she added, and she pressed a kiss against his cheek. “Love you, too, Mommy.” Alice received a kiss as well. 

 

The doorbell rang (FP did not even know that the trailer’s doorbell worked!), and he eyed the front door warily, and peeled Betty off of him so he could go answer it. He didn’t really have much patience for visitors, but, he supposed that it could be one of the neighborhood kids sensing the presence of the eight-year-old-spitfire that was Betty Cooper. Or, perhaps it was Fred and Mary, realizing they had been complete and utter screw ups? Or maybe--the blonde girl on the other side of his door looked like a younger version of Alice. He squinted at her, before he realized that this was Polly Cooper, and she looked terrified. Of what, FP didn’t know, but if it was some stunt to try to get Alice out of a place she felt safe? He was not having it. 

 

“Hey, kid--”

 

“Is my mom here?” Polly demanded.

 

“Yeah, she’s inside,” he told her. “What’s the matter?” 

 

“What is it, Margaret?” Alice commanded, from her position on the couch, and FP said nothing as the preteen ran over to her, leaving her suitcase and overnight back for him to collect. He was pretty sure they’d be stolen if left out overnight. Or at all.

 

“Cheryl’s mom has lost it,” Polly said. “She said that Heather and I were encouraging Cheryl’s deviant ways.” 

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“She caught Heather and Cheryl kissing,” she explained. “Apparently it was my job to stop them?”


	6. sunshine go away today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Dad did that to you?” Polly asked. “Your neck, your arm…? He did that?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Alice demanded, as Polly crossed the room to her, not making the slightest bit of effort to get up off the couch. “What in the name of all that is good are you talking about?”

 

“I  _ told  _ you!” Polly exclaimed. “She said that what we were participating in was deviant and worthy of exile and that she would handle dealing with Heather, but that you had done a good enough job of exiling us on your own,” she rambled. “I don’t even know what she was so mad about, I was in the shower and she came  _ shrieking in _ and I--”   
  


“Slow down,” she commanded. “For God’s sake, can you keep your voice down? Your sister is here.” She shot FP a pleading look over Polly’s head, detailing with her gaze how little she wanted Betty around for any sort of conversation involving whatever insanities Penelope Blossom had spouted. 

 

“Want to go finish watching the movie?” FP asked Betty, who seemed transfixed by her mother and older sister. “I paused it when you and your mom fell asleep.” That had been a particularly embarrassing thing for Alice to fall asleep during -- the movie that Elizabeth had picked was a rather loud one, filled with things that weren’t exactly conducive to sleep -- but it served the purpose of distracting Betty from whatever it was that had caused the current addition to the disaster that was her life. 

 

He didn’t leave room for Betty to protest, she noticed with satisfaction, and she watched him lift her up and carry her out of the living room, in the direction of their bedroom. When the movie resumed -- louder than it had previously been -- she focused her gaze on Polly, who was stood there with a foolish, slack-jawed, look on her face. It was so unbecoming.

 

“What are you gaping at?” She demanded.

 

“Dad did that to you?” Polly asked. “Your neck, your arm…? He did that?”

 

“Of course he did,” she said, her tone flat. “Did you think that he was just going to let me leave him? No, Margaret. The affairs are all well and good for him, because he’s the man of his house,” she recounted, and she rolled her eyes. “Refused to grant me a divorce every time I asked him, because ‘what would the neighbors think’,” she scowled. “So, yes, I did step out on your father,” she allowed. “He probably thinks it was out of malice, or whatever, I don’t pretend to know what he thinks.” She sighed. “The truth is that I love FP, and I have for a very long time,” she explained. “Your father took exception to that fact, and to the increasingly obvious fact that I am with child, which he had been content to discount as my having developed a penchant for overeating.”

 

“I’m sorry, Mom,” she said. “I thought...I don’t know what I thought.”

 

“It’s okay, Polly,” she found herself saying, and she patted the couch beside her. “I understand that living here is going to be a change for you, but, it’s only for a little while. FP and I are going to be looking for a house together, once things get more settled.” 

 

“Because of what I said?” 

 

“No, not because of what you said,” she told her. “For actual reasons that matter.” 

 

Polly sat down beside her, and she surprised Alice by curling up against her. It had been so long since Polly had willingly shown her more than cursory affection that it was practically a novelty to her, but, she bit back a snarky comment and ran her fingers through the preteen’s hair, trying not to visibly wince as Polly accidentally brushed against her breasts. While Alice knew that they were sensitive because of the pregnancy, the chance that her daughter wouldn’t think she had hurt her were slim to none. 

 

“Listen, honey,” Alice said. “Penelope Blossom is a horrible person,” she sighed. “If Cheryl has feelings for Heather, that doesn’t make her deviant,” she continued. “And if I find out that Penelope ever interrupts you in the  _ shower _ of all places, ever again, I will go down to that mansion of tawdry horror myself, and I will make her rue the day she ever invaded my daughter’s personal space and rights to privacy.” 

 

“I think she was mad that Dad didn’t come over last night,” Polly admitted. 

 

“I would have preferred that your father had done so, instead of what he elected to do for his nighttime activities,” she muttered, through gritted teeth. “Unfortunately for me, he elected to behave in the manner in which he behaved.”

 

“Is the baby okay?” 

 

Alice nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “She’s doing fine.” She glanced over at her. “Did you, uh, did you want to say hi?” She was nervous. “She might kick for you,” she added. “She’s been kicking a lot today.”

 

Polly nodded. “Sure, Mom,” she said. “Will you help me?”

 

“Of course,” Alice said, and she took Polly’s hand in hers, and she pressed them both down on her belly, hoping to get a response off the baby. “I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet, Begonia,” she said, her tone noticeably chipper. “Your big sister Polly.”   
  


She felt a flutter in response. “She’s just waking up,” she explained. “She’s growing.” 

 

“It’s really a girl?”

 

“Yeah,” Alice told her. “We found out yesterday, at the hospital.”

 

“I would have come, Mom,” Polly insisted. “Why didn’t you call me?”   
  


“I probably should have,” she admitted. “I just...look, Polly. Fred was going to either get FP or get you, and...honey, he needed to get FP for me, because there was a chance that things  _ weren’t _ alright with the baby, and if that was going to be my reality, I needed him here. You understand, right?”   
  


“I understand you, sure,” she said breezily. “What the hell is his problem?”

 

“I don’t have that answer for you.” 

 

“That wife of his, she’s a bitch,” FP supplied, and Alice glared up at him. “What, babe, it’s not like we can’t all come to that conclusion, based on the fact that Mary didn’t give two shits about Betty either trying to scale the side of a house using its siding, or using a ladder I am willing to bet she is too small to use, considering she broke her arm in the process.” 

 

“It’s not just Mary,” she sighed. “You can’t seriously tell me that you think Fred is blameless.” She shook her head. “Where’s Betty?”   
  


“Asleep,” he said. “She said her arm hurt so I gave her another dose of the medication and told her that she could nap for awhile. She asked me to stay until she fell asleep, and, I did.”

 

“You left that movie on?” Alice demanded. 

 

“She asked me to.”    
  


Alice sighed, but elected to keep quiet. “Can you get me some orange juice?” 

 

“Sure, babe. You want anything, Polly?”

 

“Do you have any soda?” 

 

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, his hand firmly on her bump. “You be good, munchkin. Don’t be giving your mom trouble, you hear?”

 

“She’s not giving me trouble, honey.” She beamed up at him, and squeezed his hand. “Hurry back?”

 

“Always, baby girl.”

 

“You love him, don’t you, Mom?” Polly whispered to her. “He’s cute. He’s totally into you.”

 

“I love him a lot,” she confirmed. “You really think so?”

 

“Yeah,” Polly chirped. “Like, duh, he called you ‘baby girl’.” Alice was sure that the thought of being called someone’s ‘baby girl’ was the height of romance in Polly’s eyes, and she smiled. 

 

“He’s a good guy,” she told her. “He loves me, and he loves your little sisters, and I’m sure he’ll love you too,” she whispered. “Just, give him a chance? For me?”

 

“Of course, Mom,” she agreed. “Anything for you.”

 

Alice exhaled a breath that she hadn’t even been aware she was holding.

 

“Thank you, Margaret.” 


	7. when everything's made to be broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t you think you would know that if it was?” He asked. “You are our Sheriff. No, when Alice found out she was having our baby, I asked her to get me into a rehab. I wanted to sober up. For the kids, you know?”

The novelty of the trailer having a working doorbell had worn off after it had resulted in Alice reuniting with Polly, and, therefore, it was an unhappy FP Jones that opened his front door to reveal the shiny, new, Sheriff in town, Tom fucking damn Keller, standing there, that ridiculous hat in his hands. He glared at his former classmate, and casted a gaze to his couch, where Alice was sound asleep, Polly curled up beside her, a blanket that he’d had thrown over the back of the couch covering both of the women. He crossed his arms, a scowl on his face. 

 

“What is it?” He demanded. “Is now really the time? If this about the Serpents, I wouldn’t have a damned idea,” he allowed, “given that I’ve been fucking rehabilitating myself so I can be less of a candidate for worst parent in Riverdale for the year.” 

 

Keller sighed. “No, this has nothing to do with the Serpents,” he admitted. “Look, FP, I don’t really want to...it’s Alice,” he said. “I need to speak to Alice.” 

 

“Alice is sleeping,” he said, his tone flat. “Her  _ children _ are sleeping. What the hell do you need to speak to Alice for?”

 

“About what happened to her yesterday?” Tom said, and FP felt his anger growing. He drew in a deep breath. “Look, we need to speak to her,” he said. “As the Sheriff, I can delegate this to someone else, or I can just get it over with.” 

 

“Or you could just fuck speaking to Alice, and lock Cooper away and throw away the key.”

 

“His attorney--”

 

“Oh, I’m aware of what his attorney is capable of,” he snapped. “Didn’t you hear? Mary Andrews refused to open her front door to Betty yesterday, so the poor child tried to climb into her house from a  _ ladder _ and ended up busting her damn arm in the process. I don’t take kindly to people who hurt my kids, Tom, and any kid of Alice’s is good as.” 

 

“Don’t you want to protect them?” 

 

“What the fuck does that have to do with your decision to come here and demand an audience with my fiancee? Of course I want to protect them. Why would you even ask that?”   
  


“See, the thing is, that in order to protect them, I need to speak to Alice,” he said. “If there was any way around it, I wouldn’t.”

 

“I have to be there,” he muttered. “If you need to talk to her.”    
  


“That’s fine,” he said, and FP bit back a sigh. “I’ll even wait out here until she’s ready to see me.”

 

“Right, that will be an  _ awesome _ thing for the neighbors to see,” he sighed. “I’ll go wake her up.”

 

He trudged over to the couch where Alice slept, taking care not to wake Polly up in the process, and he pressed his lips to her forehead, relieved when the gesture caused her to stir. 

 

“Babe,” he whispered. “You gotta talk to Tom Keller. I’m sorry.”

 

“What does he even want?” Alice demanded. “How did he even find me here?”

 

“He says you need to talk about what happened,” he said. “And as for how he found you...I have a pretty decent suspicion.”   
  


“I might murder Fred,” she muttered, and a scowl marred her features as she sat up. “Fine, whatever, I just want to get this over with. As if what I experienced last night wasn’t degrading enough.” 

 

“He said that it was the only way to keep your girls safe,” he pointed out, his tone gentle. Her expression softened. “Trust me, Allie, I tried to get him to go away.”

 

“Will you stay with me?” She asked. He could see the tears that had formed in her eyes. “Please?”

 

“Course I’ll stay with you,” he assured her. “It’s gonna be okay, Allie,” he whispered. “Tom’s not gonna fuck you over. He could have sent one of his minions but he wanted to come himself.”

 

“I wish I could believe that,” she whispered softly. He helped her up off the couch, and she squeezed his arm. “No one’s ever given a shit about me,” she continued. “Except for you. And the girls, but…”

 

“Hey,” he said. “I know that this sucks, and I know you don’t want to, but, I’m here. I’m going to be with you the entire time, and we’ll have tonight together,” he promised. “I’ll stay with you until the last possible second tomorrow, okay?”

 

She sniffled. “Yeah, okay.” 

 

He wrapped his arm around her waist, and motioned for Tom to come in. There was no point in prolonging this, and he really didn’t want everyone in the trailer park noticing that their King was in bed with the Sheriff. He wasn’t. Of course not. But he knew what people thought.

 

“I think we should do this in the kitchen,” FP suggested. “There’s some privacy there.” 

 

“Look, Alice, I’m sorry for having to do this--”   
  


“Save your bullshit,” she snapped. “I already know that Harold has fed everyone he’s been in contact with some sob story about how he was provoked by me, or how he was just putting me in my place, and how it’s his job as my husband because I’m from...here...and don’t have Northside breeding or whatever, but it’s not  _ about  _ me anymore. I don’t want the baby getting hurt, and I won’t go back there. And he’s terrorized the girls.” 

 

“No one is going to make you go back there,” Tom said, and whether it was because he meant it or because FP was glaring at him, FP didn’t know. “I’ve brought over papers for you to sign for emergency restraining orders,” he added. “You said you were in rehab?”

 

“I go back tomorrow,” he muttered. “I was on a pass. Got 9 days left.” 

 

“Is there a day program at the facility?” Keller asked. FP shrugged, glancing at Alice. 

 

“Yes,” she said, her tone quiet. “I just…” 

 

“Was it ordered by the courts?” 

 

“Don’t you think you would know that if it was?” He asked. “You are our Sheriff. No, when Alice found out she was having our baby, I asked her to get me into a rehab. I wanted to sober up. For the kids, you know?”

 

“I don’t want them to think that he failed out,” she whispered. “He’s been doing so well, I don’t want my stupidity to get in the way of him getting to see Jughead and Jellybean.” 

 

“She doesn’t even know I’m in rehab,” FP told her. “She hasn’t spoken to me since she filed for divorce, and took off with them. As far as she would be concerned, I would have just magically sobered up.”

 

“You can stay?” Alice asked him, her eyes wide. “You don’t have to go back?”

 

“I--”

 

“I would strongly suggest doing so,” Tom interjected. “I’m sure that Alice would be safe here, but, given the circumstances, it would probably be in her best interests for you to stay home, and either do a day program or just leave things as is.” 

 

“Please stay. FP, please.” 

 

“Of course I’ll stay, Allie,” he assured her. “I’ll just need to go back to get my stuff, but, we can do that tomorrow?”

 

Alice sniffled, but she nodded, and he sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, letting her settle on his lap, and politely offering one of the others to their visitor. He wasn’t incapable of being polite.

 

“Anyways, Alice,” Tom said. “You understand the charges that were brought against Harold, right?”

 

“I understand,” she concurred. “Look, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Elizabeth and Margaret safe. Why do you think I stayed with him for so long?” 

  
  


***

  
  


“So your business trip got cancelled?” Betty asked FP, “you’re not going to go back there?”   
  


Fortunately for Alice’s fragile grip on sanity, Betty had woken up after the Sheriff had left, and she was therefore spared  _ that _ particular set of questions from the eight year old girl, who was eying FP with what actually appeared to be hope in her eyes. Hope! It had been a long time since Alice had seen that expression. 

 

“Well, just to get my things,” he said, as he scooped her up into his arms. “Other than that, no, you guys are stuck with me.”   
  


“I’m glad you don’t have to work far away after all,” she informed him. “I was going to miss you so much.” 

 

“Now, we don’t have to worry about that,” Alice assured her. The conversation with Tom Keller had been absolutely mortifying. She was sure she was never going to live it down. “Would you be okay if your dad wasn’t allowed to see you?” 

 

“I want to stay with you,” Betty insisted. 

 

“Okay, honey,” she soothed. “It’s okay. You’re stuck with me.” She crossed the room to where Betty and FP were standing, and she wrapped her arms around them. “I promise, nothing is going to happen to you.” 

 

“Maybe tonight, you can call Jughead?” FP suggested. “You could tell him about the little one on the way?”

 

Betty beamed. “You’ll really let me?”   
  


“Sure, kiddo,” he said. “Bet he’d like to hear it from you.” Betty giggled. 

 

“Begonia must be happy that you’re staying,” she questioned. “Did you tell her yet?”

 

“You think I should?” 

 

Betty nodded. “Yes, if I was Begonia, I would want to know.”

 

“Can we sit down?” Alice interjected. “My feet hurt.”   
  


“Sure, babe,” FP agreed. “You want a foot rub?” She watched as he carefully set Betty down on the bed, and she sat down beside her, realizing how nice a foot rub sounded. How nice being pampered sounded. “The baby okay?”

 

“She’s perfect,” Alice assured him. “Yes, a foot rub sounds lovely. Come here, Elizabeth. Did you want to cuddle with me? You can sit on my lap?”

 

“It won’t hurt Begonia?” Betty asked, though she scrambled onto Alice’s lap before she could respond. 

 

“No, it’s fine,” she told her. “We’re just cuddling.” She propped herself up with the bed pillows, more than willing to cuddle with her daughter while her fiance rubbed her feet. “You’re cuddling with Begonia, too, you know?”

 

“I hope she knows who I am,” Betty said. “How much I love her. Can I still go to her doctor’s appointments?”   
  


Betty had laid her head against the swell of her abdomen as she questioned Alice, and Alice smiled down at her daughter, as she tried to figure out what question to answer first. FP’s foot massage was proving to be a bit of a distraction from coherent thoughts, not that she was complaining about it. Her feet really had hurt. Honestly, Alice wasn’t going to object to a full body massage from him if he suggested it. She finally felt that she was capable of the potential of relaxing (she wasn’t willing to go quite as far as saying she  _ would _ relax), but, the conversation with the Sheriff had made her feel...somewhat better about her chances of never seeing Hal outside of a courtroom again, and, well, FP being home with her made her feel more secure about everything. She had to admit that she was nervous about being on the Southside again. 

 

“Of course she knows how much you love her,” Alice assured her. “Honey, Begonia knows.” She pressed a kiss to the top of Betty’s head. “She knows who you are, too.” She wasn’t certain if that was entirely factual, but, well, Alice saw nothing wrong with fudging the truth for the sake of Betty being happy about something that would eventually be reality -- the baby was going to know who her big sisters were, and she was going to love them both -- a little white lie about the baby’s awareness of who Betty was at that moment in time was acceptable by her. “And, as for the doctor’s appointments,” she said. “I don’t have any objections. Do you, FP?”

 

“It’s cool with me if you wanna come with us,” FP told Betty. “I mean, why not? If you want to?”

 

“Yeah,” Betty said. “I really really want to.” 

 

“Cool,” he offered, and he shot her a grin. “You’ve been a big help to your mom, haven’t you?”   
  


“She has been,” she agreed. “She’s been awesome to me and the baby.” FP leaned over and ruffled Betty’s hair, before he pressed a kiss to Alice’s lips, which she eagerly reciprocated. “I’m glad that you’re staying home,” she added. “It makes me feel safer.”

 

“Anything for you, Allie,” he whispered. “Whatever will help you.” 

 

“You didn’t really want to go back, did you?” She questioned. “Because, if you did…”   
  


“Nah,” he said. “Fuck that.” Alice raised her brows. “Sorry. I meant. Screw that.” 

 

“Oh, did you now?” She teased. “It’s okay, Jonesy. I don’t think that Betty is paying much attention to us,” she allowed. Betty had sensed that there was a captively devoted audience to have in the little baby that she was nestled against, and she had decided that it was a good use of her time to lavish her unborn sister with cuddles and kisses. The baby had responded in kind, Alice had noticed, the little nudges prominent where Betty’s ministrations were. “We’re much less interesting than her little sister.” 

 

He crawled up the bed to sit beside her, and she leaned into him, allowing him to wrap his arm around her shoulders. “I think that’s a good thing, babe,” he pointed out. “We want the kids to like the baby.” 

 

“I know,” she giggled. “I hope that Jughead and Jellybean don’t  _ hate _ the baby or anything. I don’t care if they hate me for tearing their family apart, but --”

 

“You didn’t,” he said, and he took her hand in his. “You're  _ not  _ the reason their family fell apart. That’s on Gladys, and myself. Not on you.” 

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

“Yeah,” he said, and he cupped her chin in his hands. “I mean, you were the one who said that you didn’t want to destroy my marriage,” he reminded her. “I just...we weren’t happy for a long time, Allie, you had to know that. It was time to call it.”

 

“I know. I’m just--”

 

“I’m not Hal, Alice,” he said. “I’m not going to blame you for everything that possibly went wrong in my life. It’s not your fault, and I know that, and you should know that too. You don’t have to apologize for everything, you know?” 

 

“I know,” she admitted. “It’s just...going to take some time,” she allowed. “Elizabeth? Did you want to call Jughead?”

 

“Yes, Mommy,” she informed her. “Can I call him now?”

 

“Of course,” she said, her tone breezy. “I think that’s a good idea. You can either use my phone or your sister’s.” 

 

“She doesn’t want to use the house line?” 

 

“Juggie doesn’t always have minutes,” Betty explained. 

 

“And?”

 

“We have the same cell phone provider,” Alice interjected. “So...it doesn’t count.” 

 

“Why the hell does my eight year old son have a phone, anyways?”   
  


“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t really partake in their phone conversations. Run along, Betty,” Alice directed. “You don’t want to call him too late.” Betty kissed her on the cheek, and bestowed a kiss to FP as well, before she grabbed Alice’s phone and ran out of the room, clearly intent on talking to her friend. “I didn’t actually mean run! Be careful, Elizabeth! Your arm!”

 

“She does like me, doesn’t she?” FP asked, his tone dazed. “She’s not pretending?”

 

“Of course she does,” she soothed him. “No, she’s not pretending.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I like you, too.” 

 

“I know  _ you _ like me,” he murmured, pressing his hand to her bump. Alice giggled. “Something that gets bigger every day clued me in to that.”

 

“My boobs?” She kidded. She knew full well what FP was referring to, but, well, they were alone now, and it wasn’t like it wasn’t true. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Nothing to be sorry about, babe,” he promised. “Are they really bigger?”

 

“Oh, yes,” she said. “And all yours until the baby comes.” 

 

He kissed her tenderly. “Merry Christmas to me.” 


	8. i'll think about the nights we had to get through (how did we get through?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was nothing Alice hated more than people faking idiocy.

“Merry Christmas to you?” Alice echoed, her tone amused, and FP grinned down at her, his hand on her abdomen. “Is that all you want for Christmas? Access to my breasts? You  _ are  _ easy to shop for.”

 

“I only want you,” he answered, and he watched her blush a fiery red. “That’s a song, ain’t it?” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “All I want for Christmas is you?” She giggled. 

 

“Yes, that’s a song,” she confirmed. “Am I all you want for Christmas?” Her voice was low, her tone sultry, and he felt a stirring in his chest. He nodded. “Well, I’m sure that I can arrange to be attractively draped on your bed in something you’ll need to tear off.” 

 

“You’re hot in whatever you have on,” he admitted. “You don’t have to buy something special for me.”

 

“Oh, I know I don’t,” she allowed. “I know that. I want to, is the thing.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “Tonight, I’ll show you them. Maybe. If Betty is willing to sleep with Polly.” 

 

“I’d like the kids back for Christmas,” he admitted, his tone quiet, and he buried his face in the crook of her neck. “I know better, Al, but…” 

 

“I can try,” she whispered. “I know you do.”

 

“No, you need to focus on the baby,” he insisted. “This is my shit to fix, my problem, my--”

 

The door to the bedroom opened, and a blonde head peeked in. “Mom?” Polly asked. “What’s a chop shop?”

 

“What? Why are you asking that?” Alice demanded. She didn’t full away from him, though, so he took it as invitation to hold her closer. “Polly?”   
  


“I heard...Jughead? Jughead. I heard him telling Betty that he’s helping his mother with hers.” Polly said, as she approached the bed. “She thinks it’s like a salad bar.” 

 

“That is  _ definitely not  _ what a chop shop is,” Alice informed her. “Bring your sister and that phone in here, now.” Polly hesitated. “Now, Margaret.” 

 

“What the hell is wrong with her?” FP demanded, and he rolled off Alice, resigned to the fact that he wasn’t getting anything vaguely approaching sex from her now, with his cock-blocker of an ex-wife causing trouble. “Jesus Christ, Alice, I swear to God. A  _ damn _ chop shop.” 

 

Polly had produced both Betty and the phone in question. “Give me that phone,” he demanded. “I need to talk to Jughead.” 

 

“He says that he’s not supposed to tell you about it,” Betty informed him. “That Mrs. Jones said he would get in trouble, I don’t want him to get in trouble, FP, I don’t --”   
  


“No one is going to get in trouble,” he promised her, as he thought dark thoughts about Gladys. “Tell you what? We’re going to go on a drive. And you keep talking to Jughead the entire time, okay? Can you do that?”   
  


She nodded. “Yes, he says that he’s babysitting Jellybean like Polly babysits me,” she divulged. “I don’t remember Polly babysitting me when I was  _ that _ little, though. Can I babysit Begonia when she’s born?”   
  


“We’ll discuss that later, Elizabeth,” Alice said, as he watched her change from pyjamas to clothes, though he thought that the dress that she’d chosen was slightly less than weather appropriate. What the hell did he know about clothes, though? Still. He didn’t want her and the baby getting cold. “Jellybean  _ is _ older than Begonia, remember?”

 

“Where are we going?” Betty questioned. 

 

“We’re just going to…”

 

“See Kevin’s dad, Elizabeth!” Alice interjected, her tone bright. “Can you help your sister put on her jacket, Polly?”

 

“Sure, Mom,” Polly agreed, and he watched as she led Betty from the room, the younger girl chattering eagerly at the phone. 

 

“You are going to freeze,” he pointed out. “It’s cold out, Allie,” he said. “Let me get you one of my coats?”

 

“Okay,” she agreed, and he opened his closet, noting that there were now  _ two _ Serpents jackets there rather than one, a fact that pleased him more than he would let on, but, he bypassed the leather coats for one that was lined in shearling. The black of the coat...didn’t clash with Alice’s dress (he knew that was important to her, clothes making sense), and, more important, it would keep two of the things most precious to him warm. It was cold out, after all. “Thank you, honey.” Her lips brushed against his. “Will you help me put it on?” 

 

“Yeah, of course,” he agreed. “What the hell are we going to do?”

 

“Harass the Sheriff,” Alice said, her eyes glinting and her tone brokering no argument. “This behavior is unacceptable. Having a child working at a chop shop? An eight year old watching a child that is barely two? This is ludicrous. Especially since your custody agreement is  _ supposed _ to be 50/50.”

 

“How do you know that?” He breathed.

 

“I  _ read _ it,” she said. “You can’t just...blindly sign legal forms, FP. Good Lord.” 

 

“So, what does that mean?” 

 

“It means that this unacceptable behavior can be stopped,” she said. “And those children can be returned to you. And if it means that we have to stay at my house on Elm Street to house them all? So be it.”

 

“Al…”

 

“What? You heard Tom. They’ve refused to give Hal bail. I’m  _ legally _ allowed to live there. Would I prefer not to? Yes. But for the sake of the kids? I would.”

 

“You’re amazing, you know that, right?”   
  


“Oh, I’m perfectly aware,” she said, a smirk on her lips. “Feel free to tell me again?”

 

The boots that she’d paired with the outfit were more casual than FP had come to expect from her -- he was sure that they cost more than he could ever dream of having spent on an item of clothing, but at least they looked warm and practical for being pregnant in late November -- and he carefully zipped up the coat, taking great care not to hurt her in the process. He shrugged his own coat on, not much caring if it clashed or not. It was flannel. It went with everything.

 

“Amazing,” he breathed, and he pressed his lips to hers. “You are the best.”

 

Alice slipped her hand in his, and he laced their fingers together and drew in a deep breath. 

 

“It’s okay,” she said. “We’re doing the right thing.” 

 

“I don’t know how to do this,” he admitted. “I’m not  _ good _ with the cops and shit. I thought Sierra McCoy was gonna strangle me when she was my attorney. I almost punched Tom Keller out earlier today.” 

 

“That is what I am here for,” she said. “Please don’t punch out the Sheriff. We went to school with him. His son is friends with Betty.”

 

“Okay, fine, since you asked nicely.” He kissed her again, and opened the door to their bedroom, pleased to see that the kids were standing in front of the door, dressed appropriately for the weather. Betty skipped over to them, the phone brandished in his direction. “What, Betty?”   
  


“Jughead wants to talk to you,” she whispered, and he felt his heart break. “I said I would ask.” 

 

“Yeah, alright,” he agreed, taking the phone from her, and pressing it to his ear. “Jugs? What is it?”

 

“Dad?” Jughead’s voice sounded confused, and, frankly, exhausted. Which made sense, given what Gladys had insisted was appropriate for the kid to do. “When are you coming out to Toledo?”

 

“Jughead, you know that I’m not married to your mother anymore,” he said, his tone cautious. He really hoped that Jughead did know that, and that this wasn’t breaking news for the boy. “Why do you think that I’d be coming to Toledo?” It was clear that they’d have to take Alice’s station wagon, and, that she was going to have to drive. There was no way that he was going to be able to focus on both the road and on Jughead, and he really didn’t want to even attempt to try. “Jugs?” 

 

“It’s just that Mom is gone  _ all  _ the time now,” he said, his tone weary. “And Grandma and Grandpa don’t like to watch us for her. So...I was hoping that you could come get us.”

 

“I know,” he sighed. “And I’m going to figure it out, okay? Right now. I want to do things above the board, you know?”

 

“Yeah, I get it, I guess,” he sighed. “Are you married to Betty’s mom now?”   
  


“No, boy, we’re not married,” he told him. “Just...very serious with each other, and having a baby.”

 

“I know,” Jughead said. “Betty seems happy.”

 

“She is,” he said. “She’s a good kid. Misses you.” He cleared his throat. “I miss you too. I’m so sorry.” 

 

“It’s okay, Dad. Not your fault.” That was Jughead to a fault, FP thought to himself. He really didn’t cherish the fact that his own son thought he wasn’t too blame for what had happened to him and Jellybean. He didn’t want the boy blaming himself. He sighed. “It’s not, Dad. I know you’re trying your best.” 

 

“Could try better,” he mumbled, and he popped a stick of nicotine gum in his mouth. He itched for a smoke, but didn’t want to smoke in Alice’s car, especially with the kids in the back, and the little one in her belly. “It’s gonna be okay, kid. I’ll be there for you and your sister. We’ll work something out.” He sighed. “Jellybean, is she awake?”   
  


“She’s asleep, Dad,” he reported. “Do you want me to wake her up?”

 

“Nah,” he said. “It’s okay, Jug. Uh. I’ll be in touch. I’m gonna fix this. I’ll call you in a little. Okay? Get some rest.”

 

“Alright,” he said. “I love you, Dad.”

 

“Love you, too, kiddo.” FP sighed, and made to hand the phone back to Polly, before he decided to just charge the thing on the charger Alice had plugged into her cigarette lighter. The battery probably needed it, anyways. “What the hell is she  _ doing _ with them?” It was a rhetorical question, really. “Dammit, I have had enough of Sheriff Keller.”   
  


“We can’t in good conscience leave them there,” Alice murmured, her gaze locked on the road ahead of them. “You are not the only one who feels that way.”

 

“Can I have a playdate with Kevin soon?” Betty chimed in. 

 

“Sure, sweetheart,” Alice said. “Whatever you want.” 

 

“You’re sure Keller would let his kid be around me?” FP asked, keeping his voice low so that the girls couldn’t hear. “I don’t want to fuck up her friendships.”   
  


“It’s going to be okay,” she said, her voice soothing, and he let her take his hand in hers, her soft skin a contrast to his calloused palms. “Everything is going to be okay. Why don’t you take a deep breath, and smoke a cigarette?”

 

“The baby--”

 

“Will be okay.” Alice glanced over at him for a second. “I promise. It’s okay.” 

 

“Okay,” he agreed, and he reached over to pat her belly for a moment, before he rolled down the window and lit a cigarette, the nicotined-rush soothing him slightly. What the hell had Gladys been  _ thinking _ taking the damn kids and leaving them to fend for themselves and what the  _ fuck  _ were her  _ parents _ thinking that made them feel that Gladys ditching Jellybean and Jughead to disappear for days on end was a good fucking solution? Why did she even  _ take _ them, he wondered. “I’m sorry.”

 

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” she told him. “She  _ actually _ left them alone? Elizabeth wasn’t speaking hyperbolically?” 

 

“She actually left them alone.” 

 

“How neglectful.” 

 

“I never left the damn kids alone,” he told her. “Ever. I was a fuck up because I didn’t have a job and whatever...we know why I was a shitty dad and a terrible husband, we don’t need to spend our time rehashing that. I still never left them alone. Just...what the fuck is wrong with her?” 

 

“I don’t know,” Alice said. “You’re not any of those things though. You did the best you could by those kids, in that situation. As for your ex-wife...how you treated her is not reflective on how you will treat me. I know that.”   
  


His cigarette finished, he crushed it with his fingers, and he slipped the butt into his coat pocket. 

 

“You think I have a chance at getting them back?” He questioned. 

 

“You are  _ supposed _ to have them,” Alice said. “50/50 means that she was supposed to stay in the state, and ensure some sort of relationship involving equal parenting time with you. Obviously while you were in  _ rehab _ it made sense that you wouldn’t see them, but for the love of God that woman is dumb.” 

 

“Why do you say that?”   
  


“FP,” Alice said. “I know Gladys. She’s an idiot. She was an idiot when she wasn’t banking on you not wanting to read through the details of your custody order, and she’s surely no smarter now.” 

 

“I thought she’d taken them away from me,” he explained. “Legally.”   
  


“I know you thought that,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, honey, if I had any idea that you’d thought that…”

 

“Hey, Allie,” he said. “Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault,” he sighed. “I don’t think I could have legally defended myself while I was drying out, anyways. It’s okay.”

 

“Thank  _ God  _ you aren’t going back,” she muttered. “I could have handled myself, and the girls, but those poor children…” 

 

“You don’t have to handle yourself anymore,” he whispered. “We’re in this together, yeah? We’re a team?” Alice had parked the car, so he unbuckled his seatbelt to give her a kiss, and then press his ear to her bump. The pregnancy wasn’t very noticeable under his jacket, but, well, he knew that their baby was present there, and he was proud of that fact. “I love you, Al, and the girls.”

 

He felt her run her fingers through his hair. “That goes for you, too,” she pointed out. “You and the kids.” 

 

“Yeah, I know it does,” he admitted. He sat up, satisfied that Begonia had known he was there. “Come on, let’s go tell Sheriff Di--Kevin’s dad, about what Jughead told us.”

 

Alice’s eyes had widened at him almost calling the Sheriff Sheriff Dickface, and he had quickly changed his tune. There was no sense in accidentally inticing his pregnant fiancee into a hormonal rage over a stupid nickname. Plus, whatever, Tom’s kid was Betty’s friend. He would...tolerate him. 

 

“Jughead won’t get in trouble, will he?” Betty questioned, somehow having managed to climb into the front seats, and she settled herself on his lap. “I don’t want him to get in trouble. That’s why I couldn’t tell anyone.”

 

“What exactly did Gladys say?” 

 

“Jughead says that she started a  _ new branch _ of the Serpents but that they’re  _ not _ nice like the ones you run, that she makes him work in the chop shop even though he doesn’t  _ like doing that stuff _ and she doesn’t want to let him go to school because he could be watching Jellybean. And I know that I said I wanted to babysit Begonia and Mommy said she would think about it, but do you think I’m too little?”

 

“You are absolutely too young to babysit Begonia,” Alice interjected. “I only said I would think about it in my desire to only focus on one disaster at a time.” 

 

“Can I still play with her when she’s born? And hold her? I know how,” Betty informed Alice. “When Jellybean was little FP helped me hold her.” 

 

Alice glanced over at him, the furrow in her brow softening. “You did?”   
  


“Yeah,” he said. “She asked and I trusted her more than ...well you can imagine I wasn’t ever letting Red hold a baby. But Betty was gentle. She held her and helped me give her a bottle. At least twice.”

 

“Do you have pictures? I’d love to see.” 

 

“I think so, when we get home, I’ll see. Come on, we should get this over with. I don’t want to get booked for loitering by our own classmate.”   
  


Alice giggled. “Yeah, come on, let’s go. Come on, Polly.” 

  
  


***

  
  


Alice strode past the information desk at the Sheriff’s office, barely affording the unfortunate soul that was staffing it a backwards glance, and she flashed her press badge in their general vicinity, not much caring to take the time for formalities. What Gladys Jones had done to those children was unacceptable. Alice would not stand for it. She was perfectly willing to exploit Tom’s nature to gravitate towards feeling pointless human emotions like guilt and pity in order to right the wrongs that had befallen those  _ innocent _ children. 

 

Polly had fallen into lockstep with her, while Betty was content to cling tightly to FP’s hand. FP had had the sense that God had given him to simply allow Alice to link arms with him, allowing her to propel them down the hallway, in the direction of the Sheriff himself. 

 

Not bothering to knock (why start a precedent that she considered knocking to be a valued addition to people’s lives, especially with the children present, she thought to herself), she stalked into the Sheriff’s office, allowing the door to slam loudly behind her. It would have to make up for the lack of clacking heels. 

 

“How do you feel about  _ children  _ working at chop shops, Tom?” She asked, her tone idle to most, but threatening to those who knew her. He audibly gulped. “Babysitting their infant siblings without anyone vaguely resembling an appropriate age watching them? Not attending school? Parents deliberately violating joint custody orders and moving their children and themselves out of state so that these things could be ‘accomplished’?” 

 

“Alice, what are you talking about?”

 

“FP has 50/50 custody of those children. His custody order blatantly states that they cannot leave Rockland County Limits. How in God’s name did your department let Gladys Jones move to Ohio with them?” She crossed her arms, beyond annoyed. “I see the headline now: Sheriff’s Department Doesn’t Care About Southside Children. And if you  _ don’t _ think that I won’t go to the paper right now and print a special edition dedicated to your incompetence? You are sorely mistaken.” 

 

There was  _ nothing _ Alice hated more than people faking idiocy. 

 

“FP and I are going to Toledo to get his children,” she informed him. “I would suggest that you contact the Toledo police to facilitate this. I am not happy with you.”

 

“She’s running a chop shop? Are you sure?”   
  


“I trust my sources,” she snapped. “Even if she wasn’t she is deliberate violation of this order, and she should not have custody of those children.” 

 

“Alice, don’t you think that you’re behaving a bit irrationally?”

 

“Why don’t you just be quiet, Tom?” FP demanded, his tone low, and rather menacing. “I want my damn kids back. I worked really hard to get to a point where I could take care of them how they should be taken care of, and, come to find out, even when I was a damn fuck up loser I  _ still _ did a better job at the whole parenting thing. Alice isn’t behaving irrationally, she  _ knows _ that I’m entitled to have custody of them by law, and she  _ knows _ that what Gladys is doing is illegal. And if you don’t figure out a way to help me with this, I will go  _ on the record _ for the Register, for the news, for the papers down in the city--”

 

“Okay, fine,” he groused. “I’ll get in touch with Toledo.” 

 

Alice eyed him expectantly. “You’ll do so  _ now  _ under my watchful gaze.” 

 

She felt FP run his hand up and down her back, and she leaned into him, wanting to allow him to comfort her. It was obvious to Alice that he needed to feel like he was needed...and the back rub felt nice...so, here they were. She could make up the blow to her street cred after. She was sure there would be ample opportunities. 

 

“Begonia’s up,” she whispered, and she tugged on Betty’s ponytail as she did. “You want to say hi?”

 

“It’s late,” Betty whispered. “Shouldn’t she be asleep?”

 

“Babies don’t sleep through the night much, kiddo,” FP told her. He chuckled quietly. “She must be getting her practice in for that, early.” 

 

Betty placed her hand on Alice’s abdomen, and she giggled, clearly in response to the baby. 

 

“Come feel, Polly,” Betty insisted, and Polly climbed off the desk she had elected to sit on, and approached them, a look of curiosity on her face. “She’s tickling me.”

 

Her children occupied, Alice returned her gaze to the Sheriff. It was clear to her that this behavior was not something that could be rewarded. Needing to be supervised to do the right thing? It was fine for her to be forced to behave properly. However, she ran a newspaper, and she wasn’t the Sheriff. The same allowances for behavior did not apply for him.

 

“You don’t have to stand there, staring at me, you know.” 

 

Alice scowled. “I beg to differ.” 

 

Leaving the Sheriff’s office did not cause her mood to improve. 

 

“Do we  _ really  _ get to fly on a plane?” Betty demanded, content to ignore all of Alice’s blatantly obvious hints that she really wanted to get a nap in before they headed out on what was sure to be a thoroughly unamusing flight. She inched off the sleep mask that she’d brought with her, and blearily stared at her daughter. “Is there going to be TV on the flight? Can I watch it? Can--”

 

“Betty,” she said, and she stifled a yawn. “Can you please calm down? I understand you’re excited to see Jughead and Jellybean, but I am exhausted. Come sit and cuddle with me.”

 

“Sorry, Mommy,” she murmured, her tone chastised. “I just...FP said that we were flying first class and it sounds super fun.”

 

FP (the lucky bastard) was sound asleep, his head pillowed against the back of the chair he was in, oblivious to Alice’s current state of annoyance. Polly was  _ also _ asleep, sprawled on the floor, using one of their pieces of luggage as pillow. Which, naturally, left Alice to deal with Betty. 

 

“Honey, we’re flying first class because it was the only way we could get there tonight,” she told her, taking her up on her lap, and hugging her close. “FP thinks it is fun because...well, he hasn’t had the type of privileges that you and Polly are lucky to have. Plus, honey, he’s nervous about seeing the kids, and he’s trying to be brave and hide that.” 

 

“Why is he nervous?”

 

“Because...he misses them, Elizabeth. He really really really misses them.” 

 

“Oh.” 

 

“I miss Jughead, too,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before about the chop shop.”

 

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” she whispered. “I know things have been confusing and scary to you a lot lately. Especially with what’s been happening with your dad and me.”

 

“Josie’s mom is gonna help you, right? Even though Daddy wouldn’t sign those papers?”

 

“Of course, sweetheart,” she said. “Don’t worry about that.” She brushed a kiss to Betty’s forehead. “Why don’t you tell Begonia about Jughead and Jellybean?”

 

“Okay,” Betty agreed. “Can we nap together?” 

 

Her child’s request was music to her ears. “Yes,” she said, and she opened her coat so that Betty could curl up against her. “Most definitely. I’d love that.”

 

“I’d love that too,” she whispered. “I love you, Mommy. And Begonia. And Polly. And FP, and Jughead and Jellybean.” 

 

“I know, darling girl.”

 

“What does being a stepdad mean?” 

 

“What do you mean, sweetie?” Alice let out a yawn. “Jonesy loves you, he’s going to be like a father to you.”

 

“But he won’t be mean like Dad, will he?” 

 

“No,” she promised. “Never.”

 

“Good, Mommy, because I love FP,” Betty insisted. “Maybe he can really be my dad someday.” 


	9. to the only thing that's true

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Cause Mommy said that you needed to get up,” Betty said. “The baby wants...what did you say the baby wants?”
> 
> “Ice cream,” Alice told them. “And pancakes…”

The sound of an alarm going off woke FP from his sleep, and he motioned to shut it off, deciding to just sleep through it when there was no clock in the vicinity of his arm. It obviously wasn’t that important, and he was exhausted. A few more minutes of rest would do him good. He shifted, trying to get comfortable, and his eyes fluttered shut when the offending noise stopped. 

 

“Five more minutes,” he mumbled. 

 

“Mommy says that you have to get up,” he heard a familiar voice (the awake part of his brain recognized it as Betty) chirp, and he reluctantly opened his eyes, just in time for Betty to jump from one chair to the other. “Come on, FP,” she whined, and he felt her kneel on his lap. “She said that we could get something to eat before we got on the plane.”

 

“Did she say to jump on me to do so?” He yawned, and glanced over at Alice, who did not look amused. “Something tells me she meant…”

 

“Elizabeth Cooper!” Alice exclaimed. “I said to wake up FP, not give yourself a second broken arm.”

 

“Sorry, Mommy.” Betty did not sound very sorry at all. FP was just amused, though he tried to hide it. “I just thought it would wake him up.”

 

“I’m sorry I fell asleep, babe,” he told Alice. “I didn’t mean to.”

 

“No, don’t be sorry,” she told him, and she leaned over to press a kiss to his lips. “We all fell asleep.”

 

“Even Begonia?” He teased, and he reached out to press his hand against her belly. “Was she good?” 

 

“She fell asleep shortly after Betty did,” Alice said, her hand joining his. “She’s always good, though.” 

 

“What about you, kiddo?” He directed the question at Betty, who was still sat on his lap. “Did you behave yourself while I was sleeping? Minus that death-defying stunt you just pulled?” He tugged the hair tie out of her hair. “Want me to fix this?”

 

“Do I need to have my hair up?”

 

“Only if you want to,” Alice told her. “I don’t care whether it’s up or not, okay?” 

 

“Will you leave it down, please?” 

 

“Yeah, of course,” he agreed easily. Betty was a good kid and she didn’t need to wear her hair up if she didn’t want to, especially if Alice was okay with it. “You excited to see Jugs?” She nodded. “Yeah, kid, me too.” 

 

“And Jellybean,” she added. “She probably forgot all about me. She’s so little.” 

 

“Who could forget about you?” He asked her. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Betty, she’s going to remember you. Why didn’t you wake up your sister?”

 

Polly was sound asleep on the floor in front of them. He nudged at her with one of his boots. Betty giggled. 

 

“Cause Mommy said that you needed to get up,” Betty said. “The baby wants...what did you say the baby wants?” 

 

“Ice cream,” Alice told them. “And pancakes…”

 

“Do we have time?” He questioned. “I mean, we definitely have time for the ice cream, but for the pancakes too?” 

 

She shot him a positively wounded gaze, and he regretted asking the question. “Yes, we have time, we have over an hour and a half until they start the boarding process,” she explained. “The girls need to eat and honestly, so do we. I’m hungry, and your daughter would like some pancakes.” 

 

“Cool,” he said, a satisfied grin on his face as he thought of how many cravings Begonia had subjected Alice to over the course of their trip to the airport. “Pancakes sound bomb, my precious little one. Much better than whatever she was having you eat at Manchu Wok.” 

 

“You  _ finished _ what I ordered there,” she pointed out. “It wasn’t  _ that _ bad. Just...probably not flavors I would ever wish to combine again.” 

 

“I’m a growing boy, Allie,” he teased. “Gotta eat when I can.” Her lips curved into a knowing smile. “Let’s go get your pancakes.” 

 

“Want to wake up your sister for me?” Alice asked Betty, who nodded eagerly, and scrambled off his lap, clearly a fan of getting to fill the role of a human alarm clock. “Thank you, sweetie.”   
  


He was pleasantly surprised when Alice claimed the spot that Betty had vacated, and he wrapped his arms around her, to pull her close to him. He was glad that she had agreed to go with him to Toledo, because, honestly? He was scared to go there alone. It was stupid to be scared of seeing his own kids, and he knew that, but, whatever. It was the truth. He hadn’t wanted to leave her at home, anyways. The whole point of ditching rehab was to keep Alice safe, and he didn’t think leaving her and the kids at home was doing so. 

 

“Thanks for coming with me,” he whispered, as he pressed a trail of kisses down her neck. “I’m so nervous.”

 

“I know,” she informed him. “It’s okay to be nervous, no one expects you not to be.”

 

“I’m sorry that all this is happening,” he added. “I really wanted to focus on you, I--”

 

“Oh, honey, it’s okay,” Alice whispered. “Much as I love being at the center of attention, I am perfectly willing to come with you to Toledo to make sure that your babies are safe. All of them.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “And I wouldn’t make you go through this alone.” 

 

Alice felt like home to him, he realized, as he rubbed her belly, and they watched Betty successfully wake her older sister. He grinned against Alice’s shoulder. He  _ liked _ that she made him feel that way. He’d never felt that way with Gladys. Even when he’d been trying to put in the effort rather than going through the motions. 

 

“You guys ready for pancakes?” 

 

“I want chocolate chip ones,” Betty said, her tone solemn, as she stood beside Polly, who had shouldered both her and her sister’s carry on bags. “When Jughead and Jellybean come home, will you make us your chocolate banana ones, Mommy?”

 

“Of course,” she told her. “I don’t mind at all.”

 

“Are we going to have to go back to the house?” Betty demanded. 

 

“Only for a little bit,” FP admitted, and he squatted down so he was on her level. “It will be safe there, though, I promise. Your dad won’t be there, and wouldn’t you like to be closer to Archie?” FP definitely did not want to be closer to Archie, but he suspected that would thrill Betty. “Plus, you know, when I was growing up, I wanted to live on Elm Street,” he divulged. She eyed him curiously. “Used to pretend that your house was mine, of course, it was your grandparents’ house then. Can you imagine how angry they’d be?”

 

“I didn’t know that,” she told him. “I guess it would be nice for you to  _ really _ get to live there.” She wrinkled her nose. “Can I still meet Toni?”

 

“Yeah, of course,” he said. “Maybe we can even take Hot Dog.” 

 

“Hot Dog?” Alice asked, her tone light. “How on earth…?”   
  


“New one,” he said. “The one we initiated with is currently living on a nice farm.”

 

“You didn’t think to come up with a different name…?”   
  


He shrugged. “Thought it was fitting. Lots of Forsythes, lots of Hot Dogs.” 

 

Betty gazed at them with curious eyes. “Who’s Hot Dog?”

 

“My sheep dog,” he told her. “Would you like that?” She nodded. “Does Red have a dog?” She shook her head. “Well, look at that, you and Jughead have something he doesn’t.”

 

“I guess it would be okay,” she allowed. “Hot Dog would probably like to play in the backyard.”

 

“I know you don’t want to go back there,” he admitted. “I don’t blame you. But, we just can’t fit in the trailer, all of us.”

 

“No, I get it,” she whispered. “I’m just scared.”

 

FP gently pulled her into a hug. “It’s okay to be scared,” he whispered. “My old man, he was kind of like your dad. I was scared of him too. But, your mom and I will be there, and I promise, you will be okay.”

 

“Okay,” she snuffled. “I’ll try to be brave.” 

 

“You don’t have to be,” he promised. “No one expects you to be.” Betty glanced at him, and then at Alice, her eyes worried. “I swear to you, Betty, no one expects you to be. Not me, not your mom, not anyone. And if anyone says anything to you that upsets you--you tell your mom, or you tell me, okay?” FP had wanted to say ‘if anyone gives you shit’, which he realized was probably not an  _ appropriate  _ thing to say to an eight year old that was going to be his stepdaughter one day, and he was proud at his self-correcting. “They won’t say anything to you again, okay?”

 

“Okay,” she said. And, then. “I trust you, FP. Can we go get pancakes now?” 

 

“If your mom’s ready,” he said. Alice had stretched out on the vacated chair, and he didn’t want her to have to move if she didn’t feel like it. “Still want your pancakes, babe?”   


“Of course I do,” she said. “I don’t know where you get the idea that our daughter is going to be dissuaded from something she wants, because you know damn well that we are two equally stubborn people.” She quirked a grin at him. “Help me up?”

 

“Course, babe,” he quipped. “I’ll help you up any damn day you’d like.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“What are you looking at, babe?” Alice questioned, as she took a break from the ice cream cone she was devouring, having noticed that FP had spent the past several moments staring at her, a look of contentment on his face. “You like what you see?” 

 

“Of course I like what I see,” he told her, and he leaned over the armrests that were separating the two, pressing a kiss against her jaw before she felt his breath as it tickled her ear. “Wish it was me you were doing that to instead of that cone.” His words were quiet, but she felt her cheeks warm. “You’d still be up for that? You know, with the baby on the way and all?”

 

“I’m really horny,” she admitted, and she kept her voice low. Betty and Polly may have been occupied with some potentially inappropriate television shows on the in flight entertainment system, but, there was always the chance for Betty to decide that her pregnant mother was a more entertaining concept for the flight. The last thing she wanted to do was have an in-flight sex talk with the little girl. “My hormones are all over the place,” she explained. “I really want you.” She cupped his chin and gave him a kiss. “Yes, I’m still up for that,” she continued, and she punctuated each word with a kiss. She wanted more than that, but, well, they were on an  _ airplane _ and they were with the  _ kids _ and Alice really didn’t think that wanting more was the most appropriate thing she could want. “It’s just felatio, Jonesy. I’d be sucking you off, not pounding you doggy style on the back of your bike.” 

 

She took another bite of her ice cream. 

 

“You’d be into that?” FP asked. She nodded. “Fuck, babe, that’s sweet. Wear that cute little dress you have on and we can do it when we get home. Imagine what your neighbors would think.”

 

Alice grinned a wicked grin. “Oh, I am imagining.”

 

“You’re damn hot, babe. I’m very willing to help satisfy  _ all _ your cravings.”

 

“You want a bite of my ice cream?” 

 

“You wanna share?” 

 

“You’ve been a good boy, FP,” she drawled, and she ran her nails down his chest. “Good boys get rewarded.” 

 

“I can think of other ways you can reward me,” he teased. “But, for now, won’t say no to the ice cream.”

 

“Don’t worry,” she promised. “Those rewards will come.” She offered him the cone, and she smiled as she watched him start to eat it, rubbing her belly as she did. The baby nudged gently against her fingertips. “Do you think that they’ll be okay with this?”   
  


“With what?” FP asked. 

 

“With the baby?” She clarified. “With us being together?”   
  


“Jellybelly is barely two,” he pointed out, as he devoured what was left of her cone. “Jughead...he seemed okay, on the phone, though I think anything is better than being forced to work in a chop shop all day.”

 

“Christ,” she murmured. “When you put it like that…”

 

“You know, I know I made mistakes,” he said softly. “I get that. I just...never would have done this.”   
  


“I know, honey.”

 

“You think that I’m good enough for them? For you? For the baby? For Betty and Polly? Sometimes, Allie, I’m so fucking scared that being with you is just a really good dream. And that one day I’ll wake up and you won’t be here. I know it’s not true, but…”   
  


“I’ll always be there when you wake up,” she promised, and she clutched his hands in hers. “And, as for the kids, you are  _ so good _ for them. You’ve done so  _ well _ lately. I’m so proud. Betty loves you, you know? She was asking me, while you were asleep, if she’d be able to consider you her father someday.” 

 

“What did you say?” 

 

“That it was your decision but that I would be happy to let you decide that,” she told him. “I didn’t want to commit to it on your behalf.” 

 

“Allie, wow,” he whispered. “I didn’t know...it would be an honor.” 

 

“Really?” 

 

“Yeah,” he said. “If Betty ever really wanted to call me dad, I would be beyond honored. It would be amazing if either one of them ever saw me as their father figure.” Alice watched as he bounced slightly in his seat, before he shot the girls a quick glance. “And, uh, the same goes for you and my kids,” he said. “Whatever you’d feel comfortable with.” 

 

“I have always been rather fond of them,” she assured him. “Jughead has always been much less headache inducing than most of their friends, and, well, I’ve only met Jellybean a few times, but, from what I can remember, she was very sweet.”

 

“Duh,” he said. “Why do you think I call her my Jellybelly?” 

 

On their way to the airport, they had stopped by the rehabilitation facility to get FP’s belongings, and Alice couldn’t help having noticed how his room was papered with photographs. Of her, of his kids, the ultrasounds that she’d painstakingly sent him, even the polaroids she’d taken of herself every day for him, determined that he would be involved in their daughter’s growth in spite of his temporary placement. It was obvious that some of those photos had found their way onto his person, as he had pulled out his wallet and started staring at one. She peered over at it, pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. “She’s beautiful.” The photograph was one of Jellybean and FP asleep on the flowered couch he had in his trailer, the young toddler on her father’s chest. “When Begonia gets here, you can do that with both of them.”

 

“You think Begonia would like that?” 

 

“Oh, I think they’ll both love it,” she told him. “Who wouldn’t?”

 

“You want to?” 

 

“What?” 

 

“Sleep on me?” He waggled his brows. 

 

“Oh, alright,” she said, after pretending to think it over. “I’m more than happy to sleep on you, FP Jones.” He grinned. “You can try to calm your daughter down.”

 

Try being the operative phrase. Begonia seemed to relish her new ability to kick hard enough so that she could be felt, and she relished her audience even more. Alice supposed it probably had something to do with FP being present. While the baby had started to kick prior to Hal’s departure from her life, it had only been after her father had shown up for them (and God how FP had shown up) that their little one had really made her presence known. Mainly in response to her father’s voice. 

 

FP chuckled. “I think she views that as a challenge, baby. Calm down? She’s a Jones. You know we don’t like being told what to do.” 

 

Alice gingerly climbed out of her seat and settled on FP’s lap, her eyes filled with tired amusement. She felt him wrap his arms around her, and she let him pull her close, the slight swell that was the baby they were expecting pressed against him. “She’s a Jones, alright.” She kissed him. “I have some news.”

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“He signed the papers,” she breathed. “Sierra, she emailed me to tell me.”

 

“You mean? You can be Mrs. Jones?”

 

Alice nodded. “Mr. and Mrs. Jones.” 


	10. anything for love (i'll do)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I got you, babe. I’m not letting you go.”

“You sure you can handle this?” FP asked Alice, as they approached the house that had been her marital home, and he reached over and squeezed her hand, as he glanced in the rearview mirror to see how the kids were doing. It had been hard to get everyone on the same page about their temporary accommodations, but, well, they needed to be done. Hot Dog was in the middle seat with Betty and Jellybean (the latter of whom was sound asleep in her carseat), and he seemed the most excited about the new digs. “Because, baby, if you can’t, we can find something else.” 

 

“I’ll be okay,” she whispered. “As long as you’re here.” 

 

“Of course, babe,” he whispered. He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I’m always here for you.”

 

She nodded. “It’s what makes sense, for the kids,” she allowed. “We couldn’t have them piled into one room on top of each other, that would be neglectful. Especially when I got the house. Stupid bastard. Why did he let me have it?” She shook her head. “Come on. I’m alright.”

 

“I’m gonna change the locks,” he told her. “He won’t be able to hurt you again, Allie, I swear to it. I’ll do  _ whatever _ it takes to have you feel safe here. Or, at least, as safe as possible.” 

 

“Okay,” she said. “Come on, Elizabeth,” she continued. “I’m sure that you and Jughead can find something to play with inside the house. I’m going to take a nap with Forsythia while FP changes the locks.”

 

“Are you sure?” FP asked. “Where are you going to?”

 

“The couch,” she murmured, and he heard her exhaustion in her tone. “It’s been a long week.” 

 

“I’m sorry--”   
  


“It’s not your fault,” she whispered. “You’ve been the best part. Let me just...nap on the couch with Jellybean, okay? I’m alright. It’s just...overwhelming, you know?”

 

He sighed. “Yeah, I know,” he whispered. “The locks’ll get changed, and maybe I’ll join you?” He brushed a kiss to her lips. “I love you.” 

 

“Love you, too.” She stifled a yawn. “Want me to carry Jelly in?”

 

“No, babe,” he assured her. “It’s cool. I got the Bean.” He smirked. “You just carry our precious miracle, yeah?” He reached out and patted her bump. “You think she’s good?”

 

“Oh, definitely,” Alice told him, her eyes sparkling. “She’s not in favor of me taking a nap in the slightest. She’s the best of all of us.”

 

“Lucky ducky Begonia,” he murmured. “God I hope I never have to see that woman again.” 

 

“I don’t think you will,” she sighed. “The important thing is that we got the kids back.” 

 

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Pretty damn happy about that.” 

 

“Me too.” Her lips found his again, and he kissed her hungrily. “Even if we have to live here forever,” she whispered. “You’ve got me, and I’ve got you, and we can have the best family ever.”

 

“Can Juggie and I see if Archie is home?” Betty asked. “Maybe he’ll be allowed to play with us now that we live here.” 

 

Alice visibly paled.

 

“You think you can wait for a little bit?” FP questioned. “I know that you miss him,” he directed at the two of them. “And I’m not saying that you can’t hang out. I just...your mother wants to sleep on the couch. Do you really see that happening if Red is here?”   
  


“Oh,” Betty said. “I don’t want to have him disturb you, Mommy.”

 

“It’s alright,” she said. “He can come over later. Perhaps even for dinner.” 

 

“Will you make your pancakes?” Betty questioned. “Do you think you’ll feel okay enough to?” 

 

“I was thinking, maybe Pops? We could either eat there or get it to go, but, I know it’s Jughead’s favorite, and he hasn’t had a chance to have it in awhile. Would you like that, Jughead?”   
  


“Only if it’s not much trouble,” Jughead replied. 

 

“Oh, don’t worry,” Alice said, her tone breezy. “It’s never too much trouble for me to go to Pops right now. Your little sister is particularly enamored of it. It’s something you two have in common.” 

 

At the mention of Begonia, Betty beamed. The little girl had spent the entire trip alternating between being glued to Alice’s side, or Jughead’s, depending on who she had deemed needed her the most, and if she had been particularly concerned, she had sandwiched herself in between them, one hand firmly in one of theirs. FP had found it adorable. She was so much like Alice. A spitfire. 

 

“We  _ have _ to get Pops,” she declared. “It’s wrong to deny Begonia’s cravings.”

 

“We will,” he promised. “First, though, we need to get into the house, so your mother and Jellybean can take a nap. Okay?”

 

“Okay,” she said. “Juggie and I will play quietly,” she added. “So you can do whatever you have to do with the locks and Mommy can nap.”

 

“After I’m done with the locks, I’ll take the two of you next door, okay?” He offered. “Have a talk with Fred, see if Red can come over and play with you two, and Polly, and Hot Dog. Sound good to you?”

 

“Uh huh.” Betty nodded. “If we have to stay here, will you make us a treehouse?” 

 

“Elizabeth!”

 

“Sure, kiddo,” he agreed. “That would be fine with me.” He reluctantly moved his hand from Alice’s belly and unbuckled his seatbelt, brushing his lips against her cheek. “It’s cool, Allie. I meant it when I said whatever would help.” 

 

“I love you, you know that, right?” 

 

“Course I know, baby girl. I’ve never, ever, doubted that.” 

 

Getting Jellybean out of the car was easy. The little girl barely stirred when he lifted her up, and he snuggled her close to his chest. She had gotten so big. He’d almost been unable to believe it. Still, she had taken his reappearance in her life in her stride. He went around to the other side of the car to help Alice out, not because he didn’t think she could do it, but, rather, because he didn’t want her facing the house alone. She clutched his hand tightly. 

 

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “I got you, babe. I’m not letting you go.” 

 

He took the keys from her hand and opened the door, shepherding her into the house, bypassing the steps that lead down to the scene of Hal’s crime entirely. The goal was to get her into the living room, where, at least, she could sleep in peace, their baby girl nestled deep inside of her. He heard the other three children following them, along with the sounds of Hot Dog’s paws, and he was pleased to hear them shut the door behind them. They were good kids. Alice was a good mom. He thought he could be a good dad. If the kids would have him. 

 

“Here you are,” he told her, and he helped her get settled on the couch, gently transitioning Jellybean from his arms to hers, the little girl stirring briefly at the motions. “It’s alright, Jellybelly,” he soothed. “Allie’s got you. Go back to sleep.” 

 

He pressed a kiss to Alice’s forehead. “You should go to sleep too. It’ll all be alright.”

 

“I’m exhausted,” she breathed. He pulled a blanket off the arm of the couch, and draped it over the two of them. “Thank you, Jonesy.” 

 

“You don’t have to thank me,” he whispered. “I’d do anything for you. I’ll be by the front door if you need me, okay? Just holler.” 

 


	11. if you're lonely, you can talk to me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah,” he whispered. “To show that we’re a family.” He smiled down at her. “I’m surrounded by four of my girls,” he continued. “How could this get any better?”

“Can I help you?” Betty asked FP shyly. “I mean, only if you want me to.”

 

“Yeah, you can help me,” he told her. “Of course you can. Your mom still sleeping?”

 

Betty nodded. She had made sure to check on Alice and Jellybean before she had approached FP, and they had both been soundly asleep. She had wanted to join them, but had decided against it, having rationalized that the chance of waking up little Jellybean and then waking up her mother was too much of a risk to bear. Jughead had fallen asleep in the guest room, and she hadn’t wanted to stay in her own room, not when she could see Mrs. Andrews’ through her curtains at the house next door. So, down the stairs and to the main portion of the house she’d gone. 

 

“I think she’s tired,” she said. “Mommy,” she clarified. “I know that Jellybean is little and needs to nap and stuff, but I think Mommy is tired because of the baby and because of everything that happened.” She sighed. 

 

“You okay?” FP asked. “I’m almost done, you know, you don’t have to help, I can just take you and Jugs next door?” 

 

“No! I don’t want to see Archie anymore,” she insisted. “Please don’t make me, I don’t want to go over there, I don’t want to see her.”

 

“You talking about Mary Andrews?” She nodded. “I’ll be dealing with her, don’t you worry,” he whispered, and Betty sniffled as he wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her closer to him. “It’s okay, Betts,” she heard him say. “I promise, you don’t have to worry about her. I got you, okay?” 

 

“Even though Juggie and Jelly are home?” Betty had to admit that it was on her mind. Jellybean and Jughead and even Begonia were FP’s real kids, and she and Polly weren’t, so why would he want to still be like her dad except nice if they were home? It made no sense to her. 

 

“Of course,” he said. She felt him drop a kiss to the top of her head. “We’re a family now. Yeah, we might be a little screwed up, but we’re still a family.” 

 

“I just wasn’t sure,” she tried to explain. “You really promise?”

 

“I really promise,” he assured her. “I know that you’ve had a shit deal, lately, kid. But, I swear to you, I’m in it for the long haul, okay? For you, your sisters, your mom, Jug and Jellybean. You are the most important things in my life.” 

 

Betty decided to accept that, mainly because it sounded nice and because she knew that FP meant it, even though it seemed hard for her to believe. He hadn’t done anything to make her feel otherwise, though, over the course of the week. She was just sad that they were stuck living back on Elm Street, both because it reminded her of what her father had done to her mom and tried to do to her little sister, and because she’d  _ really _ wanted to be the Serpent Princess. Now she didn’t know if she could ever be. On the other hand, FP had promised to build them a treehouse, which her dad had always said wasn’t a proper thing for little girls to want, and he had changed the locks, not that Betty had half a clue what that even meant, just that her mom had insisted it needed to be done so that she could feel safe in the house. And he had cut his business trip short for them, and he had drawn that pretty drawing on her cast. 

 

“Why did you do that?” She asked, her curiosity winning out over her desire to observe him quietly. “Change the locks?”

 

“So your dick of a father can’t ever come back in,” he told her. “Not that I would let him, anyways, but this is an extra measure.” He sighed. “I don’t suppose you know if your mom is going to be sleeping on that sofa forever?”

 

“Why? Because of Dad?” Betty asked. “He was sleeping in the basement, Mommy said that he made her literally ill, and that she couldn’t sleep in the same bed as him.” 

 

She heard him chuckle. “What about you? You feel okay in your room?”

 

“As long as Archie’s mom doesn’t look at me through his window,” she said, her tone dutiful. “And if you let me come in if I get scared.”   
  


“She won’t be doing that anymore,” he said. “And, yeah, of course, princess, you’re always welcome to come in, as long as the door is unlocked.” Betty preened as he ruffled her hair. “If the door’s locked, though, just knock, okay? One of us will be there for you. I just want you to feel okay here.”

 

“Am I still a Serpent Princess, even if I live here?” 

 

“You’re  _ always _ gonna be a Serpent Princess,” he assured her. “Doesn’t matter where you live. I’m the King, your mom’s the Queen, and you’re a Princess.” He scooped her up into his arms, and Betty giggled. 

 

FP was taller than anyone that had ever carried Elizabeth Cooper before, and she liked being hoisted up into his arms, even though she was sure that certain people she didn’t want to think about would think she was too old to be carried. That didn’t matter to her, though. What mattered to her was that she  _ had _ a sort of dad that loved her, that wanted to be like her dad, even though he wasn’t. 

 

“Can we take down the pictures that have all four of us in them?” Betty questioned. “And the ones of my mom and dad?”   
  


“Of course,” he said. “Do you want me to do it while you lay down with your mom and Bean?” 

 

Betty wrinkled up her nose in concentration, internally debating her options. She wanted to cuddle with her mom and Jellybean, she really did, but she didn’t want to disturb either of them. They both needed their rest. FP would probably be faster at taking down the pictures without her, especially with her broken arm. She sighed. 

 

“You don’t think I’ll bother them?” 

 

“No, of course not,” he said. “Couch’s big enough for the three of you.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“What are you doing?” FP heard a familiar, yet tired, voice ask, as he finished taking down the last of the photographs, and he placed them neatly on the nearest table, before he approached his fiancee, who was the only one of the three that was actually awake. Betty had drifted off soon after he had tucked her in beside Alice, and, well, Jellybean clearly needed a nap. “You didn’t have to do that.”

 

“Betty asked me to,” he said, and he ran his hands through his hair. “She’s a good kid, Al. Loves you a hell of a damn lot.”

 

He watched her smile down at Betty, who had pressed herself against her, against the baby, and she smiled back at him. “She’s a good girl.” She cleared her throat. “Thanks, babe. Come sit with us?” She shoved the throw pillows that had been behind her head on to the floor, and he squeezed himself into the available space, letting her rest her head on his lap. He ran his fingers through her curls, wondering how the hell he had gotten so lucky. That  _ they _ had gotten so lucky. 

 

“Both sets are changed,” he told her. “Pretty quick job, was glad to do it.”

 

“Thank you, FP.”

 

“Took the pictures down so you didn’t have to see his smug ass mug staring down at you,” he continued. “I was thinking, though, that we could get a family portrait done, of all of us.”

 

“Oh, I’d like that,” she agreed. “We should get two, one now, and one when Begonia is here.” 

 

“Yeah,” he whispered. “To show that we’re a family.” He smiled down at her. “I’m surrounded by four of my girls,” he continued. “How could this get any better?”

 

“I think Jellybean likes me,” Alice said. “That makes me really happy.” 

 

“Course she likes you,” he assured her. “Who doesn’t?”

 

“Everyone I eviscerate in my paper,” she breathed, a wicked grin on her lips. “But, I would never do that to my Jellybelly, so she doesn’t need to worry.”

 

FP smirked. “Babe, she’s 16 months old, what the hell could you even write about her?”

 

“How adorable she is? How she’s stolen my ice cold heart?” 

 

“Suppose you could write about how she called you mama when we came to get her and Jugs,” he sighed, his tone rueful. “Babe, I’m sorry. I would tell her how you’re related to her, but I don’t think she’ll understand.” 

 

“I don’t mind being her mama,” Alice told him. “It’s okay. I thought it was cute...I would rather her call me that than poor Jughead.” 

 

“It would be kinda funny, if it wasn’t so fucking fucked up,” he mumbled. “Want me to take her?” 

 

“You can take her if you want,” she said. “She’ll probably need a diaper change when she wakes up, anyways. Which, if my pregnancy addled mind recalls correctly, you said you would handle.”

 

“For Jellybean  _ and _ Begonia,” he insisted. “You do all of the hard work with her now,” he said. “You deserve to avoid some of it.”

 

He carefully took Jellybean into his arms, and he pressed a kiss to the little girl’s cheek. “Dada’s got you,” he whispered. “You’re gonna be okay.” He exhaled, loudly. “It really pisses me off that she didn’t even try to fight me, you know? Like...they didn’t matter shit to her?”

 

“I’m sorry, honey. I know.”

 

“I mean, not that I wanted her to have them. I don’t want that. I just don’t want the kids wondering why she just discarded them like trash.”

 

Alice sat up, and he watched her shift Betty so she was laying across her lap, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t really think Jellybean will remember her,” she pointed out. “As for Jughead, we’ll do our best to be a good family for him, for the girls. Maybe in time we’ll understand why she behaved in that manner. I sure as hell do not.”

 

Jellybean stirred in his arms, and he smiled down at her, hoping she still recognized him. “Hey, Jellybelly,” he cooed at her, and she rewarded him with a grin. “Gonna get you all fresh and clean, okay?” 

 

After he changed Jellybean and washed his hands, he walked down the hallway, glancing into each room. He had never really been in Alice’s house before, except to pick Jughead up from playdates, or occasional birthday parties. This was uncharted territory for him. Jellybean babbled happily in his arms. He located Jughead in one of Alice’s guest rooms, the young boy sound asleep, on top of the blankets. He sighed, and he gently shut the door behind him, not wanting him to wake needlessly. 

 

The master suite looked as if it had been solely Alice’s. He noticed all of her little touches throughout the room, and half of the room had been stripped of the other occupant’s possessions. The bed looked slept in, and he cringed, realizing that Alice would probably appreciate a freshly made bed, or, at least, one that was neater and didn’t look like it had been left unattended during her week away from the house. He hastily smoothed out the comforter, and neatened the pillows. Jellybean toddled around the room, looking positively entranced. 

 

“Come on, princess,” he encouraged, offering her his hand as they exited the room. “You want to say hi to Polly?” Her eyes lit up, and he knocked on the door, hoping that the preteen would indulge her future step-sister. “Jellybelly wanted to see you,” he said when she opened the door. “That’s okay, right?”

 

“Of course it is,” Polly told him. “Did you want me to watch her for a little bit? So you can spend time with Mom?”

 

“Yeah,” he said. “Sure.” 

 

He wasn't used to accepting help. He wasn’t good at it. But, well, Jellybean wanted to see Polly, and Polly was going to be his step-daughter, so it was okay that she wanted to help. Wasn’t it? He vowed to ask Alice. 

 

Jelly toddled into Polly’s arms, though, which he thought was cool, and he smiled at them. 

 

“I’ll be downstairs, if you need me.”   
  


“Okay,” Polly said. 

 

Jellybelly waved at him. He waved back. 

 

He went back downstairs, reminding himself that it was okay for Jellybean and Polly to play together, that her offering to watch her for a little bit was nothing like Gladys forcing Jughead to watch his sister, alone, all the damn time. He and Alice were right downstairs. They weren’t going to leave.

 

“Polly wanted to spend time with her sister,” he said, by way of explanation, when Alice gazed at him questioningly due to his lack of toddler. “So, I said that she could. It was fine with me.”

 

“It’s not a bad thing, honey,” she assured him, as he sank down on the couch beside her. “I think it’s sweet. Two sisters, getting along.” 

 

“It was cute,” he agreed. “Look, Al, we have got to deal with the Andrewses,” he said. “I know you don’t want to, but, I really think they’re freaking Betty out.” 

 

“What happened?” She asked, and she leaned against him, allowing him to put his arms around her. “Did she come over?” 

 

“No, but she terrorized the poor girl by staring at her from Archie’s bedroom window,” he snarled. “I’m ordering her blackout curtains for her windows. She doesn’t need that shit.” 

 

“Poor Elizabeth,” Alice said, and she let out a heavy sigh. “Thank you for doing that.” 

 

“You don’t have to thank me,” he promised. He pressed his hand to her side. “We’re family. We take care our own.”


	12. this world's an ugly place...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I just wanted a good life, for me, for the girls,” she wept. “I thought it was the right thing to do, marrying Hal when he got me pregnant. He told me that if I didn’t he’d have my job. I needed the money. What would I have done? I--”

“You know that I love you, right, Allie?” FP murmured, and he leaned over to press a kiss on her lips, practically drinking her in with his eyes. “Because, I love you so damn much. I pretty much always have.” 

 

“I’ve known, darling.” She stretched her arms out, and he watched carefully as Betty snuggled closer, her snores punctuating the quiet of the room. “You’re very obvious. Not that that’s a bad thing, just…” She trailed off. “Have I failed as a mother?”

 

“What?” FP had heard her question, he just couldn’t believe that Alice thought that he failing as a mother was even possible. “Why would you ask that?”

 

“Look at my  _ kids _ my God,” she rambled. “Polly’s best friend’s mother walked in on her in the shower because she is pissed off that I found out she was fucking my ex-husband,” she exclaimed. “What an unbelievable violation of Margaret’s privacy, not to mention I fear what she could possibly do to that poor child that’s stuck under her roof.” He saw her visibly shudder. “And then we have poor Betty, who had to watch Hal try to  _ kill _ me and saw  _ everything _ and I don’t know what the hell Mary Andrews is playing at but now my daughter doesn’t feel safe in her own room?”

 

“Those things aren’t your fault,” he whispered. “Fuck Penelope Blossom where she breathes for walking in on Polly like that,” he muttered. “She and Hal deserve each other. If I hear a damn thing about her touching that girl of hers for something that’s not her fault because she thinks it’s a sin, as she  _ fucking _ married her damn brother? It will be the last thing she does.” He cupped her chin in his hands. “As for Mary fucking Andrews, I think you should sue her for all she’s worth for Betty’s arm. What Hal did to you isn’t your fault,” he promised. “Betty will be okay. I told you, Allie, she’s like you.” 

 

He tenderly wiped her tears away with the pads of his fingers. “You’re amazing, Alice. Don’t let your shit parts of life make you think otherwise.”

 

“I just wanted a good life, for me, for the girls,” she wept. “I thought it was the right thing to do, marrying Hal when he got me pregnant. He told me that if I didn’t he’d have my job. I needed the money. What would I have done? I--”   
  


“I know, Allie,” he soothed. “I know. It’s okay. You made a mistake, but that mistake got you two wonderful kids,” he reminded her. “And I am so excited to be in their lives, as their stepfather, as their father, whatever they’ll accept and have me for.” He ran his hand over her bump, massaging it gently through the material of her shirt. “This little one is gonna be the happiest baby ever,” he promised. “She’s gonna be so loved. I fucking cherish her.” 

 

“You’re so good to me,” Alice whispered, and she sniffled loudly. “I’m sorry for crying, I think I’m really hormonal. It just all hit me at once and--”   
  


“Al, don’t apologize,” he said. “It’s okay.”

 

“You know that I feel the same about your kids, right?” She insisted. “I’m so glad they were able to come home.” 

 

He gave her a gentle kiss. “Me too, baby, me too.”

 

“You woke her up,” she informed him, a sweet smile on her face. “She’s really going at it in there.”

 

“Can I say hey?” 

 

Alice nodded. “Be my guest, she wants to put on a show for you.” He kissed her again. “She’s so feisty.” He licked his lips. “What, honey?”

 

“Is it okay that she kicks so much?” He questioned. “I just want to make sure that she’s okay, and that it’s not a  _ bad _ thing, you know?”

 

“Yeah, it’s fine,” she said. “It’s important that she’s active.” She lifted the edge of her shirt, to reveal her bare bump, and he slid off the couch so he was eye level with the most precious gift Alice had ever given him. “You’re excited, aren’t you?” She asked, as he nuzzled the area around her navel. “I’m excited, too.”

 

“She’s my favorite Christmas present,” he told her. “You don’t have to get me anything else.”

 

“You’re adorable,” she said. “You know that the kids will want to get you more for Christmas,” she pointed out. “As do I.” He tenderly kissed her skin, the ripples of movement he felt in response mere encouragement for his ministrations of affection. “But it’s good to know that if all else fails, I can get myself pregnant and get you your presents for free in the future.” She giggled.

 

“I wouldn’t say no,” he allowed. “I mean, if that’s what you’d want.” He gazed up at her. “Never want you to do something you didn’t want.”

 

“I know, honey,” she said. “I think it would be nice,” she admitted. “We’ll see how this one treats me throughout this experience.” 

 

“You being good to your mama?” He questioned the bump, his grin widening with every kick he felt. “Yeah, I know, you’re being good. You’re a good girl, Begonia.” He peppered her bump with kisses. “You’re the best.” 

 

“Who’s the best? Me? Or the baby?”   
  


“The both of you,” he settled on. “God, Al, I love you. So much.”

 

“I love you too,” she said, and he felt her run her fingers through his hair. “You’re the best.” 

 

“What are you guys doing?” A sleepy voice chimed in, and he pulled away from Alice to look over at his son. “Is everything okay?”

 

“Yeah, Jugs,” he said, and he motioned for him to join them. “Just saying hi to your sister. You want to?”

 

Jughead approached them hesitantly, before he nodded. “Uh, yeah, I guess,” he said. “Do you mind, Alice?”

 

“No, sweetheart, it’s fine with me,” she answered. “Come here, Jughead. Come say hi to Begonia. I’ll help you,” she added. “It’s alright.”

 

“Or, I can help you,” he added. “If that’s what you’d prefer.” 

 

FP reclaimed his spot on the couch, and allowed Jughead to climb on to his lap, his beanie slightly askew. He took his hand in his, and placed them where the baby was kicking, and pressed down as gently as possible. “The, uh, your sister,” he said. “She’s doing good, she, uh, we got to see her the other day. Very active. So, it’s okay if you want to feel her, Jugs. You’re not bothering her, or Alice, she’d let you know if you were, wouldn’t you?”   
  


“It doesn’t bother me that he wants to feel,” she insisted. “I think it’s sweet.” Beside her, Betty stirred, and he watched her sit up slowly, peering over at them with bleary eyes. “Hi, honey, did you have a nice nap?”

 

“Uh huh,” Betty said, and she snuggled closer to Alice, her hand joining theirs. “Did you and Begonia? And Jellybelly? Hi, Juggie.” Jughead returned the greeting. 

 

“Yes, precious, my nap was fine,” Alice told her. “Thank you for joining me.” 

 

“You’re welcome, Mommy,” she said. “Did you nap with Mommy too?” She directed the question at him, as she sprawled across Alice’s lap. 

 

“No, kiddo, I took the pictures down,” he explained. “I figured that was more important, and your mom was awake by the time I finished.”

 

“Thank you, FP.” 

 

“You don’t have to thank me, Betty, it needed to be done,” he assured her. “I was glad to help.”

 

“Did you still want to go play with Archie?” Betty asked Jughead. “We can, if you want--”   
  


“Not until I speak to his parents,” Alice said, her tone firm. “I will not have them around either of you if they are behaving in a manner of which I disapprove.” 

 

“No, Mommy,” Betty demanded. “I don’t want you and Begonia to get hurt.” 

 

“Elizabeth!” She exclaimed. “You are terrified of this woman! I can’t let you go over there to see Archibald with her there just so you can attempt to keep the peace.”

 

“What if I talk to them?” He interjected. “Or to Fred, at least. See how that goes, and then, we’ll go from there? That way, Allie, she doesn’t have to worry about you and the baby, and everyone will know that we’re a family now, and that they need to behave accordingly?”   
  


“Okay,” Alice said. “I’m sorry, Betty,” she continued. “I know that you’re worried about the baby and me. I didn’t mean to snap at you.” 

 

“I don’t want Archie to stop being my friend,” Betty told them. “What if she makes him hate me?”

 

“I don’t--” The doorbell rang, cutting him off, and he reluctantly stood, depositing Jughead on the couch beside Alice. “Let me go get that.”

 

“I can--”   
  


“Allie,” he said. “It’s fine. You just relax, okay?”   
  


“Okay,” she said. “Hurry back?” He dipped down and gave her a kiss. “We love you.”

 

“I love you too,” he promised. “All of you. A whole hell of a lot. I’ll be back.”

 

“Can I come with you?” Betty asked. “Even if it’s Mrs. Andrews, she’s not as scary when you’re here.”

 

“That all right, Allie?” 

 

“Yeah, if that’s what she wants.” 

 

Betty slipped her hand in his, and he walked with her over to the door, thoroughly unamused. He didn’t understand where Alice’s neighbors got off stopping by in the middle of the damn day. He didn’t like it, and he didn’t approve. Alice needed her rest, she needed to recover, and she needed to not be gawked at like a zoo animal. It wasn’t fair to her, or to the kids. 

 

“You’re sure you want to see who it is?” He questioned, as he knelt down so he was eye level with her. “Cause, you know, you don’t have to,” he whispered. “It’s okay if you want to go to your mom.”   
  


She shook her head. “I’m a Princess Serpent,” she declared. “A super awesome Princess Serpent. I’m super brave.”   
  


“Yeah, you’re super brave,” he agreed. “You’re a good kid, Mini Coop.”

 

“Will I be Mini Jones one day?” 

 

“I hope so,” he whispered. “Even if it’s not official,” he told her, scooping her into his arms. “Even if it’s not official,” he insisted. “I’ll call you Mini Jones anyways. But, I hope it will be official.”

 

“Me too,” she said. 

 

FP opened the door. He steeled himself for whomever was on the other side, and he said nothing as Betty clung to him tightly, her arms firmly around his neck. He honestly didn’t know what he would do if he was faced with Mary. He wanted to shake her. 

 

Fred was on the other side of the door, Archie in tow, and FP scowled at them. To say he was un-amused with the Andrews family was putting it mildly. 

 

“What do you want?” He demanded. 

 

“What’s the matter with you?” Fred asked. “You think you’d be happy.”   
  


“I am happy. Doesn’t mean I’m glad to see you. Why don’t you tell me why your wife is a damn voyeur? Staring into kids’ rooms. That ain’t right.”

 

“Maybe we thought Alice was being robbed?”

 

“Don’t pull that shit with me,” he said. “We may work together, we may have children that are friends with each other, but you don’t get to pretend to have witty banter with me because you think that I’m playing, or that I can be distracted. What Mary did -- it was wrong, okay? You know damn well what I’m talking about, Fred. Don’t you even dare.”

  
  



	13. ...but you're so beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I didn’t know that you and Mommy wanted to play with Fred,” Betty said. “I thought you...you promise that she won’t get hurt?”

“I want to play with Archie,” Betty murmured. “May I?”

 

“Of course, kiddo,” FP told her, and he carefully set her down on the ground, gracing her with a soft smile. FP may have been the badass Serpent King, but his little Princess Betty didn’t have to be terrorized of him. That would be wrong. Alice would kill him. “You and Jughead are welcome to play with Archie,” he assured her. “Red isn’t the problem here. Your mom and I just want to play with Fred, for a little bit, but she’ll be okay.” 

 

“...okay,” Betty said, her eyes locked on the redhead boy. “You promise that you’ll make sure she and Begonia stay okay?”   
  


“Oh, don’t worry,” he assured her. “That’s my job, and, you’ll find, I’m damn good at my job.”   
  


“Who’s Begonia?” Red asked, and he opened his mouth to make a snarky comment, closing it when he noticed how Betty’s eyes lit up with excitement. If Betty was excited to tell her friends about the baby, he wasn’t going to take that from her. “Did you get a pet?”

 

“Better,” she told him. “I’m going to be a big sister.”

 

“For Christmas?” Archie demanded.

 

Betty shook her head. “No, way after Christmas. Begonia can’t be born yet. She’s too little, she has to be patient. I  _ wish _ she was coming for Christmas, but she needs to take as long as she needs to grow.” She tugged on Archie’s hand. “FP’s doggy is living here now, though. Did you want to play with him? His name is Hot Dog.”

 

“You get a  _ dog _ now? That’s not fair. I want a dog.”

 

FP smirked. Fred looked distinctly uncomfortable. His smile grew. “Well, Red, sorry for your troubles,” he said. He wasn’t. “Feel free to play with the kids and Hot Dog, though.” 

 

“Yes, definitely play with us and Hot Dog,” Betty agreed. “Come upstairs with me and Juggie. Maybe Polly and Jellybean will play with us.”

 

“I’m sure they will, Princess,” FP agreed, his tone one of easy affection. “Just gotta ask, you know.” 

 

“I didn’t know that you and Mommy wanted to play with Fred,” Betty said. “I thought you...you promise that she won’t get hurt?”   
  


“Yeah,” he said. “The baby, she likes this, she’ll have a great time,” he promised. “Really encourages your mother.” If he heard Fred gulp, it only made his smile of encouragement more genuine. “When we’re done playing with Fred, maybe we can all watch a movie together.”   
  


“A  _ Christmas _ movie,” she insisted. 

 

“Yeah, sure, kiddo. A Christmas movie.”

 

“And can we get a Christmas tree later?” 

 

“If you want,” he assured her. “I’m sure it will be okay with your mom, I’ll discuss it with her.” 

 

Betty ran up the stairs, the boys following behind her, and FP turned to look at Fred, giving him the dirtiest look he had ever given him. 

 

“What are you mad at me for?” Fred demanded. 

 

“What am I mad at you for?” FP repeated. “Are you seriously so oblivious you might not think I have a reason to be upset?”   
  


“You can’t blame me for what happened to Alice!” Fred exclaimed. “I went to get you!”

 

“You only went to get me because you knew if you didn’t, and something happened to my damn kid, I would have killed you, and made it look like an accident,” he corrected, his tone icy. “Don’t even pretend that you came to get me out of some sense of goodness.” 

 

“I offered you your job back!”

 

“Oh, offering me my job back was the least you could do, and you know that. My problem with you is that you and your damn wife decided that your stupid ass of a neighbor was more important to you than Alice and her damn kids, because, why, Fred? You and Mary don’t like what she writes in the paper? Hal really that thrilling at your annual Christmas parties? Whatever excuse you have, I don’t want to hear it.”

 

“I--uh--Alice! How wonderful to see you!”

 

“Spare me,” Alice said, and he felt her wrap her arms around his middle, her bump snuggly pressed against his back. “If you actually think I came out here to stop Jonesy from lecturing you, you have another thing coming. Do you really think that I wouldn’t find out how Elizabeth broke her arm? And to hear that your wife is actually representing Harold in a court of law? The only reason I’m letting Archibald be in my children’s presence is because they have already been through so much, and I don’t want to be cruel and take him from them.” She cleared her throat. “Don’t make me regret my act of mercy any more than I already do.” 

 

“Mary just finds it suspicious--”   
  


 

***

 

  
“I don’t give a flying shit what Mary ‘finds suspicious’,” she informed him. “I’m sorry that I don’t see the point in maintaining a marriage that I was already ending when Harold  _ tried to kill me _ and I am not apologizing for wanting to have a life that doesn’t involve him. You think that I want to be here? In this house? Near the two of you? If I had it my way I would sell the property at a loss and be done with it.” 

 

Fred gaped. It was unattractive. 

 

“But, as a mother, I can’t,” she continued. “And I can’t believe that neither of you even cared about the fact that Elizabeth  _ broke  _ her arm on your property because your wife couldn’t be bothered to--for that matter, I blame you, too.”

 

“What do you  _ possibly _ blame me for?” Fred demanded. Alice rolled her eyes. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”   
  


“Nothing? You ignored my daughter when she came over needing help, and she got  _ hurt _ and it could have been worse, and then you dropped the both of us off at the hospital and  _ left us _ there, as if that was an acceptable thing to do.” 

 

“Mary had court--”   
  


“I don’t give a flying shit what Mary had,” she snapped. “I would never do that to you. Ever. So why don’t you just get the fuck out of my house?”

 

“The kids--”

 

“Archie can stay,” she continued. “He’s not the one I’m angry with.”

 

“You can’t be serious--”   
  
“It’s really hard for me, being back here,” Alice said, her tone flat, and she dug her nails into FP’s arm as she spoke, trying to remain calm. For the baby’s sake. “It’s really damn hard. And you have no idea what the two of you did to me when you made it very damn clear you only gave a fucking  _ shit _ about Hal. Don’t act all high and mighty, Fred. You had to know what the hell he was doing to me. I can spit and hit your front porch. So, yes, I am serious. Get the hell out. And? Tell Mary that if she spies on Betty in her room again? I’ll be calling the cops.”   
  


“You’re really overreacting, Alice--”

 

“You have no right to decide that for me,” she hissed. “Get out. Before I call Sheriff Keller, and tell him how my ex-husband’s defense attorney is sending her husband over to  _ threaten _ me.”

 

“I’ve been very careful  _ not _ to--”   
  


“I mean it, Fred. If you don’t get out that door right this second, I  _ will _ report you. And her. I will end you.”

 

“You wouldn’t.”   
  


“Wouldn’t I?” She scowled. “Goodbye, Fred. Get the hell out of my house.” 

 

Fred stalked out of the house, slamming the door behind him, and Alice relinquished her death grip on FP’s arm, gently kissing the marks that her nails had left. “I’m sorry, honey,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

 

“It’s alright,” he said. “I’ve had worse.”

 

“Still,” she fretted. “Want me to kiss it better?”

 

“I’ve got better places for you to kiss,” he murmured. “Places on you I want to explore, places on me you  _ should _ explore…” 

 

“What do you say we bring the kids down for a movie and have some...exploration of each other upstairs?” Alice said, her gaze impish. “I would like that, you know. We can desecrate my silk sheets.”

 

“You sure you feel up to that?” 

 

“Yes, you know, my hormones, they’re crazy,” she assured him. “Right now you’re  _ all _ I want.”

 

“I love you, Allie,” he murmured. “Come on,” he said. “I can help you with your little hormone problem.” 

  
  



	14. breathe your breath in me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That’s all we ask for, yeah?” He assured her. “Come here,” he added, and Alice watched as he pulled Elizabeth into a bear hug. “You’re my girl, okay? You’re the Serpent Princess. That means you outrank him.” Betty giggled. “You go have fun with your friends.”

“You promise that you and Begonia are feeling okay?” Betty questioned, and Alice nodded, and she carefully lowered herself to her daughter’s level. 

 

“Yes, sweetheart,” Alice assured her. “FP and I just need to move things around in the bedroom. Well. He’ll move the furniture. I’m going to supervise.”

 

“Okay,” Betty agreed. She carefully placed her hand on Alice’s abdomen. “I’ll see you soon, Begonia,” she insisted. Alice smiled at her. “You promise you’ll come downstairs after you’re done?”

 

“Yeah, of course,” she agreed. “Just me…? Or FP?”

 

“Both of you,” she told her, her tone betraying her thoughts that this was quite possibly the stupidest question she had ever heard Alice ask. Unfortunately for Alice’s resolve to not be mocked as a parent by her small child, her hormones thought it was sweet that Betty had automatically included FP in her statement. “But, only if he wants to,” she continued. “And, only if you want to. You don’t have to watch a movie with us, Mommy. I know Archie gives you a headache sometimes.”

 

“Oh, it’s alright,” she promised. “We’ll join you when we’re done. Don’t worry about that.” 

 

“Yay,” she said happily, or, rather, screeched, the loud noise near her belly enough to wake the baby up. “Oh, hi, Begonia,” she cooed. “I didn’t know you wanted to say hi to me. I told Archie  _ all _ about you,” she explained. “I though you were sleepy, though.”

 

“She wanted to kick so you would know she was okay,” Alice told her. “She knows you were worried.”

 

“She’s a good baby sister.”

 

“You’re the best big sister,” she said, and she gave her a hug. “Begonia and I will be fine, you go have fun. We’ll be downstairs in a little.”

 

“Okay,” Betty said, and she released her. “You be good, munchkin. Go back to sleep.”

 

“What’s taking--” FP started to ask, as he came out of their bedroom, no longer wearing a shirt, before closing his mouth for a moment, and switching tactics, when he noticed Betty was standing there. “Hey, sweetheart,” he said. “What are you up to?”

 

“Gonna go downstairs and watch a movie with everyone,” Betty informed him. “I wanted to make sure that Mommy and the little munchkin were okay, first.”   
  


“Are they?” 

 

“Yes, I think so,” she said. “Begonia kicked and Mommy said that she did so so I would know she was okay. You’ll make sure that they’re okay, right?” Betty queried. 

 

“Don’t worry, princess,” he said. “I got your mom, okay? And the munchkin. They’re good, you can go...help your mom by making sure that Red is occupied by the movie and not annoying her, yeah?”

 

“Yeah, I can do that,” she whispered. “I’ll try my best, at least.”

 

“That’s all we ask for, yeah?” He assured her. “Come here,” he added, and Alice watched as he pulled Elizabeth into a bear hug. “You’re my girl, okay? You’re the Serpent Princess. That means you outrank him.” Betty giggled. “You go have fun with your friends.”

 

“You go have fun with Mommy.”

 

“We will, precious.” He placed Betty back on the ground, and Alice watched as she scampered down the stairs, her hand slowly rubbing her belly. She smiled softly. “You good, Mama?”

 

“Yeah, she’s just kicking,” she told him. “I’m admiring the show,” she admitted, a smirk playing on her lips. “You look good shirtless,” she said. “Should go without one more often.” His hands covered hers, and she leaned into him. “I’m sorry she’s awake,” she added. “I get it if it’s weird…”

 

“No, don’t be sorry,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll be weird. Unless you think…?”

 

“I wouldn’t know,” she admitted. “I’ve never been in this situation before.”

 

He licked his lips. “Never?”

 

“No, not...not since I was pregnant with Charles,” she admitted. “But, I wasn’t that far along when we slept together, and…” 

 

“You told Cooper the kid was his without even fucking him? Damn, you’re bold, babe.”

 

“He’s an idiot,” she drawled, and she tugged on his hand and led him into the bedroom. “What...did you make my bed?” 

 

Alice  _ knew _ that she had left the bed unmade -- she had been sleeping when Hal had come home and had left the bed to confront him, intent on returning to her slumber after he’d stormed away -- so to find it made was a shock to her. Not a bad thing, mind you, she was just...surprised. 

 

“Yeah,” he said, his breath warm on her neck and his arms wrapped securely around her, his hands still providing ministrations of affections to her bump, their baby responding in kind. “Not well, admittedly, but...yeah. You deserve it.” 

 

“Oh, Jonesy, thank you,” she breathed. “It’s a shame that all your hard work is going to be ruined.” She shifted in his arms to kiss him softly. “I really love you.” She kissed him again. “God, I’m so horny.” Alice was almost embarrassed. FP simply smirked, his eyes tender, and he tugged at the hem of her shirt, as if he wanted an invitation. “What?”

 

“You’ve got way too many clothes on, babe,” he murmured. “Want my help getting them off?”

 

“I want your help getting  _ me _ off,” she admitted, before she nodded hesitantly, her face flushed a bright red. “You promise that if things are too weird for you, we’ll stop?”

 

“They won’t be too weird,” he said. “The baby...it doesn’t bother me that she’s kicking, Allie.”

 

“You’re sure?”   
  


“Yeah,” he said. “She’s our daughter,” he said. “I get that she’s gonna be active and I would rather her be active than not, yeah? Plus at least this way I know  _ we _ didn’t wake her up.” He pressed a kiss to her bump. “Why  _ are  _ you awake, Begonia?” 

 

“Betty got a little excited,” she said, and she ran her fingers through his hair. “Little Begonia here responded in kind.”

 

He chuckled. “Good girl. Daddy’s good girl. That was sweet of you to kick for your big sister, munchkin.”

 

“Hopefully Archie will distract her,” she sighed, and she slowly lifted up her shirt, and discarded it on the floor of her room, after she eased it up over her cast. “Help me with my bra?” 

 

“You want me to tear it off?”

 

“Not unless you want to spend an entire day with me shopping for new maternity clothes,” she warned, as he brushed his hand against her bare skin, the motions sending tingles down her spine. “Even then, I would prefer you didn’t.”   
  


“I wouldn’t mind,” he said, as his fingers moved from her bump to the clasp of her bra, and she felt him unhook it, with the most delicate care. “Going shopping with you. We could, you know, have a private showing in the dressing room?” She arched a delicate brow. “Maybe?”   
  


“Well, maybe,” she concurred. “I suppose that given my arm, you’d need to help me try on clothes. If we happened to exploit that, I think that would be fun.” She giggled, as she shrugged off the offending undergarment off, and straddled him, not caring that she was still half dressed, and only somewhat caring that the door wasn’t closed. “I love you, Jonesy.”

 

“Love you, too, babe.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“You were right,” FP murmured, as he laid beside Alice in bed, on top of the covers, and she snuggled close to him, her hair tickling his nose as he held her close. “Your breasts are  _ definitely _ bigger. Fuck,” he continued. “I think sucking on them made you cum. The first time, at least.”   
  


“They’re overly sensitive,” she informed him. “They’re getting bigger so that the baby will be able to nurse when she’s born, and, they are more sensitive as a result.” He felt her nuzzle his bare skin. “Yes, that is why I came so quickly.”

 

He pressed his palm against her abdomen. Begonia had fallen back to sleep once she realized no one’s attention was on her, and, well, he missed her kicks. 

 

“I think she’s napping, baby,” Alice continued, though her hand did join his. 

 

“You want to join her?” 

 

“I was thinking we could shower, actually,” she said. “You and me....? Enjoying the benefits of my master suite?”

 

“Benefits?” He echoed. She smirked. 

 

“Yeah, you know, he’d pissed me off so when I banished him to the basement, I got myself a nice upgrade. A jacuzzi tub, a handheld showerhead, all sorts of awesome oils…”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” he said. He honestly could have slept right then and there, he was so exhausted, but he liked the thought of showering with her. “You’d probably need my help, yeah?”   
  


“Oh, definitely,” she said. “For safety’s sake.”

 

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I can’t believe that they bought that. The kids.”

 

“Yesterday was fun,” she admitted. “I mean, what a terrible shower that hotel had. But, still, fun.” She poked at his stomach. “Come on, babe. We need to shower and get dressed again before the kids destroy our house.”

 

“You know what you should do?” He offered, as he reluctantly slipped out of bed, and helped her into the bathroom. “Wear one of your tight little skirts with nothing underneath.” He smirked. “Kids would never know.” 

 

“Okay,” she said, and she placed her hand on his arm. “You’d really like that?”

 

“Yeah, babe,” he breathed, as she turned on the water in the shower, before she climbed in, and tugged him along. Alice hadn’t been wrong -- the shower  _ was _ nice, and he really wanted to enjoy the jacuzzi with her, maybe when the kids were at school or otherwise occupied, and they were alone -- but he knew that they needed to actually clean themselves before greeting the children. Especially given how Betty clung to her mother. “You know I’d like it.” He grabbed a washcloth and tenderly began cleaning her skin, not wanting her to exert the energy if she didn’t have to. He paid special attention to her belly, massaging it gently. “You’re so gorgeous, babe.” 

 

While Alice washed her hair, he turned his attention to himself, making sure that his efforts to maintain cleanliness were enough to meet her standards. 

 

“We should have a bath next time,” she suggested. “It’s safe for the baby, and me.” 

 

“We can take one tonight, if you want,” he offered. “I wouldn’t mind.”

 

“I’d like that,” she said, as he watched her towel off. “I have a skirt I think you’ll really like,” she added, and he watched as she crossed the room to her closet, making sure that she was okay in there. Who knew what potential dangers awaited his pregnant fiancee? Falling piles of shoes? It wasn’t worth the risk of not being close enough to catch her. She emerged, clad in a snakeskin print skirt, which he noticed still had the tags on it, and nicely highlighted her bump. “What do you think?” 

 

“Still hot, Allie,” he assured her. “Get hotter every damn day.” He wrapped his arms around her, and let the towel fall. “God, babe, you have no  _ idea _ how much I love you.” He kissed her softly. “Love you, too, Munchkin.” He placed his hand on her belly. “You want to wake up for Daddy?”

 

“Patience, FP,” she said. “She’ll be up soon enough.”

 

It was difficult for him to be patient, especially once he’d gotten himself dressed and she was still in the middle of blow drying her hair, clad only in her skirt and a bra. Still, he didn’t want to disturb either Alice or Begonia, so he sat on the edge of her bed and watched as she put on her routine. He supposed that living in Alice’s house wasn’t the worst thing in the world. It was definitely a step up from his trailer, and, he really wanted the kids to have the best lives they possibly could, even if they were saddled with him as their dad or stepdad. He knew he was somewhat of a liability. It was probably good for Jughead and Betty to live on the Northside, even if he really felt out of place there. Polly seemed happier, too. Jellybelly, well, he could have moved them into a literal tin can and she probably would have accepted it. Begonia got the best deal of all, living her life in that comfy waterbed inside of Alice. 

 

He was surprised when Alice dropped down on to the bed beside him, though the reason became clear as she took his hand in hers and pressed it against her midsection. Begonia was happily kicking away, and he grinned dopily, staring down at her bump. 

 

“Aren’t you precious?” Alice cooed at him. “The two of you, it makes me so happy, Jonesy.” 

 

“She’s amazing,” he insisted, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You’re amazing. This is fuckin’ awesome, babe.”

 

“She must know who you are,” she mused. “I think she recognizes your voice, she’s kicking an awful lot.” 

 

“Is that right?” Begonia  _ was _ definitely kicking hard. “It’s  _ Daddy _ my pretty girl,” he said. “Daddy’s here, you know who I am?” 

 

“I think so,” Alice said. “Feel how active she is?”

 

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Yeah, I do,” he said. “God, Allie. This is the best.” 


	15. i'm the one that loves you baby, can't you see?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “She’s a preteen,” he said. “They hate everyone. You used to light dumpsters on fire.”

“Can we watch another movie?” Betty questioned himself and Alice, once the movie that they’d started  _ after _ the movie that they’d been in the middle of watching when they’d come downstairs had ended, and she wriggled onto his lap like she was a puppy, gazing at him with expectant eyes. “One more, please? And then Archie can go home?”

 

“It’s getting kind of late, princess,” he said. “Maybe we can watch a movie together later, as a family?” Her eyes lit up at the thought. He felt sort of guilty for manipulating her. “In our bedroom, like we did at my place?”

 

“That was fun,” she agreed. “You and Mommy fell asleep, but, that’s okay. The baby must make both of you tired.” 

 

“Yeah, she does,” Alice said. “Hungry, too.” 

 

“Oh, right,” Betty said. “We’re gonna go to Pop’s. Okay, Archie can go home.”

 

FP chuckled at Archie being discarded almost immediately for food, though he managed to hide his extreme mirth at the situation, mainly for Betty’s sake. The girl was a cute kid. He didn’t want her thinking he was making fun of her. 

 

“I like how you think,” he told her, and he wrapped his arms around her, rewarded with a kiss on the cheek. “You had a good time, though?” 

 

Archie and Jughead appeared to actually have fallen asleep, and Polly had grown bored with the movie and brought some of her old toys to play with Jellybelly, who had been ecstatic to have an (at least in her eyes) new grown up playmate, and toys to play with to top it all off. Which had left him and Alice watching a movie that neither had ever wanted to see, with an amazingly wide awake Betty. Even they had fallen asleep for part of the movie, though he certainly wasn’t admitting that to her. 

 

No use in upsetting the kid, was there? 

 

“Yeah,” she said, as she settled down. “It was good to see Archie,” she said. “I think Juggie missed him too.” 

 

“I’m sure he did,” he told her. “Think Jugs missed a lot of things, out in Toledo. It was nice of you to keep in touch with him.”

 

“He’s my best friend,” she reminded him. “It made me sad that he moved away, and that his mom hated me all of a sudden, but he was still my best friend and I wanted to keep in touch with him. I’m just sorry I didn’t tell anyone sooner that she was doing bad things.”   
  


“Don’t apologize, Betty,” he said. “It’s not your fault. You’re just a kid. I’m just glad you and Polly told us at all.” 

 

“And he and Jellybean are staying with us for good, right? They don’t have to go back?”

 

“No, sweetheart, they’re not going back,” he promised. “You’re stuck with them.” 

 

“We really ought to wake them up,” Alice interjected. “I mean, I don’t mind if Jughead stays sleeping until we’re ready to go, but I think I prefer Archibald being asleep solely in his own home.” 

 

“I can wake him up, Mommy,” Betty offered. “Did you and Begonia like playing with Mr. Andrews earlier? FP said that you both liked that game.” 

 

“Oh, indeed,” Alice purred, her lips pursed together. “It was very fun.” 

 

Betty slipped off his lap and he watched as she crossed the room to wear the boys had fallen asleep, and he noticed how careful she was to make sure that she was only disturbing Archie and not Jughead. Not that the boy looked like he was in danger of waking. He could hear him snoring across the room.  

 

“I think you’re good with her,” his fiancee whispered in his ear, her hair tickling him as she moved closer, her glossed up lips connecting with his cheek. “Much better than Hal ever was,” she continued. “I think he considered the children to be like dolls.” She sighed. “Betty really adores you.”

 

“I can tell,” he replied, and he squeezed her hand. “I love her too. Love all of you.” 

 

“I heard you, earlier,” she said. “Mini Jones?”   
  


“Hey, it was her idea,” he said in defense, though he noticed that Alice was smiling, and didn’t seem particularly angry with him. “Yeah, Mini Jones. I thought Mini Coop was catchy, but…she wants Mini Jones. I told her that I didn’t know if it would be her  _ actual _ last name, but--”

 

“He’s rescinded his rights,” she said. “I don’t know why, I did not ask him to, because I filed for divorce  _ before _ everything happened, even before the baby,” she sighed. “I wanted full custody with visitation.” She shook her head. “How am I supposed to tell them that he doesn’t want them? Betty, I think she’d be fine with it,” she said. “She clearly wants you in her life in that capacity. Even if she didn’t he scared the fuck out of her when he tried to murder me. But, Polly…? They were close.”   
  


“I’ll be there for Polly, however she’ll let me,” he promised, as he wrapped his arm around Alice’s shoulders, and pulled her close. “Isn’t this really a good thing, though? I mean, he’s an asshole, he tried to kill you, and now neither of your children has to see him ever again.” 

 

“I’m just worried,” she said. “I don’t want her to hate me.”

 

“She’s a preteen,” he said. “They hate everyone. You used to light dumpsters on fire.” 

 

Alice smirked. “You always know how to cheer me up.” 

 

“That’s because I love you,” he murmured, as he pressed a kiss to her clavicle. “Anyways, Al, listen. I’ll ask the kids what they want, okay? We can tell them both about Hal rescinding his rights, and give them some time to process, and let them decide what to do. If they want me to adopt them? That’s great. I won’t stand in their way. They don’t have to, though. I promise you that I will love them no matter what.”

 

“I know you will,” she said. “Just like you know that I love your kids. More than anything.” 

 

“I know, babe.” 

 

“Archie has something that he wants to tell you two,” Betty chimed in, as she and Red approached them, and FP noticed that Red had the sense to look fearful. He forced himself to affect a polite smile (rather than a feral smirk). “Don’t you, Archie?”

 

Red nodded, though FP suspected that was only due to the death grip his fellow eight year old had on his wrist. 

 

“What is it, Archibald?” Alice questioned. 

 

“Betty told me about the baby,” Red managed to sputter, as Betty preened beside him. “She says that I should tell you congratulations.” 

 

“She already  _ knows  _ about how you know about Begonia,” Betty insisted. “I told her before they moved furniture.” 

 

“It’s alright, sweetie,” Alice said. “That’s very kind of you, Archibald. Thank you.” 

 

“Yeah, thanks, Red.” It was fucking weird okay? He’d never really been congratulated on a baby before. And, yet, there he was. “You okay to get home by yourself?”

 

“I’m fine, Mr. Jones,” he said. “Bye, Betty. I’ll see you and Jughead soon.”

 

“Yes, we can see each other every day,” she said, her tone one of pure happiness. “It’s one of the only things that I like about being back here.” She gave him a hug. Beside him, Alice stiffened. “FP said that when it’s not winter anymore he’ll build me a treehouse,” she bubbled. “I want to help, maybe you can, too? And Juggie?”

 

“We can talk more about that later,” FP interjected. “Why doesn’t Red go home and you go get your sisters and tell them that we’ll be leaving to go out to eat in like 20 minutes?”

 

“Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll be right back.” 

 

“You can play with them, if you want,” he offered. “I bet Jellybelly would like that.” 

 

“It will be good practice for when Begonia comes,” Alice pointed out. “When you guys come downstairs, you can help Jellybean feel Begonia, if you want. I don’t know how much she’ll understand, but…” 

 

“I want to, Mommy,” Betty said. “And, yes, I’ll play with them.” That part was directed at him, and it felt good to know that she wanted to listen. 

 

“I really do not want Archibald over here every day,” Alice said, once Betty had run up the stairs, and was out of earshot. “Damn his mother to hell for what she did to my daughter.” 

 

“I could always pick them up after school some days and bring them to work with me?” FP offered. “I mean, you’re willing to bring Jellybelly to work with you, so…”

 

“Oh, of course I am,” she said. “I think she’ll be a hit at the paper.” 

 

“She’s adorable, isn’t she?” 

 

“Very much so,” she said. “And it makes more sense for me to just take her to work rather than subject her to a daycare or a babysitter, especially with what she’d gone through at Gladys’s. I don’t mind it. And, babe, if you want to bring the kids to work with you, you can. I think Betty would find it fun. If Jughead doesn’t want to go, you can bring him to the Register. Just please don’t drop Archibald off with him. He has a habit of destroying things.”   
  


“Things?” 

 

“Computers, my copier, my sanity?” Alice supplied. “Amongst other things.”

 

“Well, I certainly don’t want him around two of my most precious things,” FP said, and he tugged the blanket off the back of the couch, and laid it across their laps. “That would not make me happy.” 

 

“I don’t want him around myself and the baby either,” Alice admitted. “He’s very...taxing.”

 

“Well, what did you expect Fred and Mary’s kid to be?”   
  


She giggled. “This is true.” 

  
  



	16. it's no surprise to me, i am my own worst enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “When I called Cheryl’s house, her mom said that she was at an all girls boarding school, in, um, Switzerland, I think. Why do you ask? Mom?”

“Mama, up,” Jellybean commanded, and she reached out for Alice, her blue eyes staring intently at her as she furiously sucked on her pacifier. 

 

“Oh, alright,” Alice decided. It was the path of least resistance. Jellybean was small enough to be carried, and she didn’t want to upset the little one, so she scooped her up, and held her carefully. “You don’t want to call me Alice?”

 

“It’s not like Mom was ever around for her to know her,” Jughead muttered, and he reached out for his sister. “I can take her, Alice, you don’t have to.”

 

“No, honey, it’s fine,” she assured him. “Jellybelly is perfectly safe with me, and so is the baby. Nothing is going to happen.” 

 

“Is the baby awake?” He asked. 

 

“Yeah, she is,” she informed him. “You want to feel?” 

 

“When we get inside?” Jughead asked, after a moment of thought. “I’m hungry. I missed Pops a lot.”

 

Alice was surprised when he squeezed her hand, but she went along with it, pleased that he seemed to like her. Jellybean had nestled her head against her chest, and she pressed a kiss to her head. 

 

“I’m hungry too,” she admitted. “Begonia must be growing because lately I am ravenous. Or maybe she just takes after you and your dad.”

 

“Maybe,” Jughead said. “You think she could take after me?”

 

“Of course,” she told him. “You’re her brother.” It was important that Jughead realized how important he was to her, Alice decided, and she carefully knelt down so that she was at his level, which wasn’t that difficult, given that Jughead was tall for his age, and she was not gifted with the gift of height, and she pressed her lips to his forehead. “You’re her brother, and I hope the two of you have things in common. It would make me very happy if you did.”

 

“Okay,” he agreed, his tone one of solemnity. “Can we go eat now?”   
  


“Yes, of course we can,” she agreed. “Come on, let’s go in and make sure that your dad hasn’t eaten all of the onion rings.” 

 

FP had gone ahead of them with Betty and Polly, and, though Alice doubted that he was planning on eating all of the onion rings she had asked him to order as an appetizer, she didn’t want to risk it. Begonia  _ wanted _ those, and she wanted them now. The unborn baby was very particular about what she wanted. Jughead tugged at her hand. He seemed to be in agreement. 

 

FP had scored them a table close to the entrance, and she gratefully sat down in the booth beside him, taking great care not to needlessly jostle Jellybean, and moving close to him so Jughead could sit down beside her. Betty and Polly sat across from them. Alice’s onion rings remained untouched. 

 

“What’s my little girl up to?” FP questioned at Jellybean, who was still cuddled up with her and showed absolutely no signs of wanting to move, though she noticed that the toddler’s gaze was fixated on her new sisters. “You want me to take her?” 

 

“No, honey, it’s fine,” she whispered, and she pressed her lips to his. “She wants to be with me, and I feel alright,” she promised. “You want to say hi to your daddy, Jellybelly?” 

 

The pacifier popped out of Jellybean’s mouth and Alice delicately placed it on top of a napkin, as the sixteen month old reached out for her father, a desire that she was happy to oblige. Both for Jellybean’s sake and for FP’s. It was obvious that the two had missed each other. 

 

“Hey, Jellybellybean,” he cooed. Jellybean giggled back. “I love you, you know that, yeah?”

 

“Dada!” Jellybean helpfully supplied. 

 

“Yeah, I know, you love me, too,” he said. “I love all of you kids, you know that, right?”

 

Across the table, Betty nodded eagerly. Polly simply looked contemplative. “You mean that?” 

 

“Yeah, of course I do,” he said. “You and your sister, you’re my family too, if that what the two of you want. I’ll have you as my daughters.” 

 

“Will you really, FP?” Betty questioned. “Like, you’d really be our dad?”   
  


“If that’s what you’d want,” he repeated. “Yeah, I could be.”

 

“Dad’s gone for good, isn’t he?” Polly demanded. “He doesn’t want either of us? What did we do?”   
  


Alice sighed, as she delicately nibbled at the onion ring in her hand. “You didn’t do anything,” she told her. “I don’t know why your father signed away his rights,” she sighed. “But it wasn’t your fault, okay?”   
  


“Does that mean we don’t have to see him again?” Betty asked, her voice full of hope. “He was really scary, Mommy.”

 

“You don’t have to see him again,” she confirmed. “I know he was.”

 

Alice was just grateful it was winter, and she could grace the world in turtleneck sweaters that hid her strangulation marks. They had lessened somewhat, but she still didn’t see the point in becoming the human version of a neon sign. 

 

“I want you to be my dad,” Betty announced. “If you’re  _ really _ sure that you want to be.” 

 

“I’m positive, kiddo,” he assured her. “When your mom and I get hitched, we’ll make it official, but, if you want, you can call me that now.” 

 

“I want to,” she chirped. 

 

“Will you be my mom, Alice?” Jughead asked.

 

“I’d love to be,” she said. “It would be an honor.” 

 

“I don’t mind that you want to be my dad,” Polly said softly, and Alice watched as she tucked her hair behind her ears. “Can I still call you FP for a bit? Even if you’re my dad?”

 

“Yeah, of course, Polly,” FP said. “Even if you never feel comfortable calling me dad.”

 

“No, I think I’d like to, eventually,” she admitted. “I just need some time.” 

  
  
  


***

  
  


“Do you want to talk about earlier today?” Alice asked Polly softly, as she stood in the doorway to her room. “May I come in?”

 

Alice had changed from the clothes she’d worn out in public that day and into a pair of FP’s sweatpants and one of his old t-shirts, which she had layered with the flannel he had discarded on their bedroom floor, which smelled like him and made her feel warm and cozy inside. Alice loved FP. She loved how he made her feel safe, how he adored her and her girls, in addition to his biological children, including their little one on the way, how he had just  _ embraced _ this new life, in more ways than one. 

 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Polly muttered. “Come in, whatever.” 

 

“I’m sorry that your father gave up his rights to you,” Alice said, her tone gentle, and she sat on the edge of Polly’s bed, patting the spot beside her in the hopes that she would join her. “You have to understand that was never my intention. I wanted...this was never my intention, Margaret. I didn’t realize that he would end up in jail over what happened between us, I didn’t realize that--”

 

“Mom,” she said. “He really hurt you. He deserves to be in jail.” 

 

“But--”   
  


“No, Mom, I’m not mad that he’s in jail, or that we can’t see him while he’s in jail, or that Betty never wants to see him again, or that you and FP are getting married,” she rambled, as she sat down beside her. “It just  _ hurts _ that he doesn’t care about me and Betty at all, you know? I mean, that was super obvious when he hurt you in front of her, but…”

 

“I know,” she insisted. “And, I am so sorry. If I could change that, I would, Margaret, you have to believe me--”   
  


“And Cheryl must be mad at me or something, because I haven’t heard from her since I left her house,” she continued. “I know you don’t like her and Heather, Mom, but they’re my  _ friends _ and I don’t know what I did to deserve--”

 

“What do you mean, you haven’t heard from her since you left her house? You mean...before we went to Toledo?” 

 

Polly nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I mean, why? What’s the matter?”

 

“Was the day I got hurt the only time that your father ...associated with Penelope Blossom?” Alice asked, feeling a general sense of unease. It was true that she didn’t cherish Polly’s relationship with the Blossom girl, but the fact that Polly hadn’t heard from her was concerning. If Penelope had been that upset, who knew what she could do? “Polly?”

 

“He told me not to tell you,” she said. “I’m sorry, Mom, I should have.” 

 

“Don’t apologize,” she said. “It’s not your fault.” 

 

“When I called Cheryl’s house, her mom said that she was at an all girls boarding school, in, um, Switzerland, I think. Why do you ask? Mom?”

 

“That’s what your father told everyone when I went away to the Sisters,” Alice muttered. “That his parents had gotten me a scholarship to a boarding school in Switzerland. What the hell are they  _ doing _ there to that girl?” 

 

“The Sisters?” Polly echoed. 

 

“Not now, Margaret,” she hissed. “I’ll explain later. I have to--I have to go.” 

 

“Go where?” 

 

“I  _ said _ that I would explain later.”

  
  



	17. those notes you wrote me, i kept them all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No, the baby’s fine,” she assured him. “She’s kicking. It’s just...that boy. Over there.”

The Sisters of Quiet Mercy loomed before them, and FP instinctively pulled Alice closer to him, and he felt her shake as she did so, potentially out of cold, but, he suspected, mainly out of fear. He couldn’t blame her for being scared. The place was physically intimidating to him, and he was a badass, scary Serpent King, not someone who was equally badass and scary but that had been stuck behind its walls for months on end. “Again, we don’t have to do this,” he murmured, as he ran his hands down her sides, and nestled his palm where he assumed her bump was. “Are you really sure that you want to do this?” 

 

“I can’t just  _ leave _ her there,” Alice pointed out. “It was one thing for me to be sent here to have the baby and make things go away, don’t you find it a little suspicious that Cheryl has been sent here after her mother caught her kissing a girl? What the hell are the nuns even  _ doing _ to these children? What the hell did they do to me?”

 

“I don’t know, Allie,” he said, his tone honest. “You’ve never wanted to talk about the baby, or what happened to you, and I’ve tried my best to respect that. What was done was done, anyways, wasn’t it?” He sighed. “I guess, since we’re here, we should probably at least see what the hell we can do to get her out?” 

 

“It’s...we can talk about it later,” she whispered. “If you really want to.” 

 

“Only if you feel up to it,” he said, as he pulled open the door of the convent, making the executive decision to take charge. There was no need for Alice to do so, not when he was fully capable of acting like an adult. “Where do you think we should go?” He asked, once they’d entered the building. “Al…?”

 

“I just need a minute,” she whispered, and he felt her squeeze his hand. “It’s just...I’m sure it’s nothing, I’m fine.” 

 

“Is it the baby?” He kept his tone low, and he stopped where she stood, to peer at her worriedly. “Something’s wrong with the baby?”

 

“No, the baby’s fine,” she assured him. “She’s kicking. It’s just...that boy. Over there.” 

 

“What boy?” 

 

Alice pointed. “He looks like you, doesn’t he?” 

 

FP followed her gaze. It was true that the teenager in question did look like him, but, more importantly, the boy looked like him  _ and _ Alice, and, hadn’t Allie given the kid up for adoption? She had made that very clear to him. 

 

“I thought that you gave him up?” 

 

“I  _ did _ and they said that he was going to go to a good home!” She exclaimed. “What the  _ fuck _ happened?”   
  


“I don’t know!” 

 

“I know you don’t,” she whispered. “What do you think we should do?”

“Shouldn’t we make sure that he’s...ours, before thinking about what we should or shouldn’t do?” FP asked.

 

“Well, I would,” she whispered. “But he’s coming this way.” 

 

The teenager had noticed them -- he supposed that made sense, given that they were two full grown adults and somewhat out of place in a home for troubled youths -- and was, indeed, approaching them. He wrapped his arms around Alice, and pulled her close, not sure what to expect. Even if he  _ was _ their child, why would he want anything to do with them? They’d given him up. 

 

“Charles?” He heard her ask, her tone full of what he recognized as false bravado. “Is your name Charles?”

 

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

 

“What are  _ you _ doing here?” 

 

“I don’t understand,” FP interjected, trying to maintain a slight bit of control over the situation. “How do you know who your mother is?”

 

“Got my information from my file,” he said. “Was going to run.”

 

“You don’t have to run,” Alice interjected. “You are going to come home with me, with us. After I find out why I was lied to for so many damn years.” 

  
  
  


***

  
  


Alice was a woman on a mission, hellbent on destroying the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, one Mother Superior at a time, though, when everyone in the convent had  _ noticed _ that she was hellbent on destruction, both nuns and the residents gave the three of them a rather wide berth. This was fine with Alice. There was one person that she was  _ truly  _ infuriated with, and that was Sister Woodhouse, who had convinced Alice to give up the child who was walking beside her, and lied to her about it. This was unacceptable. 

 

“You know perfectly well why you were sent here,” she heard that horrible woman say, as she neared the door to the infirmary. “You are behaving in a manner that goes against  _ God _ my child. Fraternizing with members of the same sex? That is behavior that needs to be corrected. Your mother was  _ right _ to send you here--”

 

Alice had heard enough. It was one thing to send your child to a convent because they were pregnant, she was not about to stand idly by while anyone’s child was subjected to gay conversion techniques. Alice was Catholic, but that was not something of which she abided by. She was already annoyed by the fact that Charles was  _ still a resident of the Sisters _ and not adopted out to the nice, nuclear, Catholic, family, that she had been promised he would be. This, combined with what she was hearing, and her surging pregnancy hormones, did not add up to an Alice Jones (oh sure, she wasn’t officially anything yet, but whatever, she was a Jones) that was anything remotely approaching reasonable. 

 

She wrenched open the door, causing Sister Woodhouse’s victim to jump about a mile. 

 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She demanded, as she crossed the room to the nun and the redheaded girl, whom a quick glance at identified as Cheryl Blossom, and though she was not amused by the headache she knew she was embarking upon if she she took the girl home with her, this was beyond the pale. “I know what you’re up to, Sister Woodhouse, and my  _ step-daughter _ is not going to be a part of it. I don’t care if her mother is a drunken lout who thinks that she needs to be electroshocked into compliance or if her hellbeast of a stepfather is pulling the same bullshit lies he pulled when he did this to me.” 

 

Alice was aware that she was being excessively loud for a consecrated building. She really did not care. 

 

“For that matter, what the hell did you do with my son? Why is Charles here and not with that family that I picked out? Were they even real? I’m taking him home with me. Him, and Cheryl. I wouldn’t mess with me, Sister Woodhouse. I can take you down, you, and the rest of your home for troubled youth.” 

 

“How did you know where I was?” Cheryl asked, her tone meek. 

 

“Because Harold and Penelope are too stupid to come up with a new lie, and they think that I wouldn’t remember them using that lie when it came to me.”   
  


“Alice…”

 

“Fine,” Sister Woodhouse snapped. “Take them.”

 

“What?”

 

“They’re both deviant and noncompliant,” she said. “This one with her insistence that she and that fornicator are normal, and that one with his insistence on knowing who you are. So, go. You want them, you have them. I don’t want either of them here.” 

 

“Alright,” she said. “Come along Cheryl, let’s get your things, and then we’ll get your things, Charles? And then I’m just going to take both of you home.” 

 

“I don’t want to go back--”   
  


“No, to our house, Cheryl. You can stay with Polly.”   
  


“You want me, too?” Charles interjected. She nodded. 

 

“I wanted to keep you more than anything,” she whispered. “You have to believe that. I just wanted a good life for you. If that means with me, that means with me. And your father,” she nodded towards FP. “He’s always asked me about you. He wants to know you.” 

 

“You have?”

 

“Yeah,” FP said. “Of course. We were young. We wanted to do what would have been best. But I always asked.”   
  


 


	18. tell me where did you go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m fine,” she said. “I should be asking you that question, except that it’s so obvious what the answer is. Charles, I am so sorry. I never wanted you to be stuck here. Ever.”

“Cheryl’s mother relinquished her to the Sisters’ custody upon arrival,” Sister Woodhouse informed both Alice and FP. “While, normally, we pride on putting forth the  _ best _ Catholics up for adoption...we have long since given up placing Charles, and we can’t even begin to  _ fathom _ who would possibly want someone who is refusing to stop embracing a life of sin.” 

 

“I said we would take them,” Alice hissed. “What about that family that wanted him, huh? Was that all a lie? You said I was a worthless mother!”

 

“They wanted you to be involved,” Sister Woodhouse said. “As if we would have let that happen. We tried so  _ hard _ to get Charles not to ask questions about you.”   
  


“What?” Alice demanded, and she tried very hard not to burst into tears. She didn’t want to give the nun the satisfaction. “You...I would have taken him, in a  _ heartbeat _ if you had just  _ asked  _ me to. Instead you just stuck him here, as what? A punishment? What is it that you want? Money? I’ll write you a check. How much are they worth to you?”

 

“I wouldn’t make anyone pay for damaged goods, my dear child. If you wish to take on the burden of the Lord, well… you should be allowed the privilege for free.”

 

“It’s alright, Allie,” she heard FP say, as she felt him wrap his arm around her. “Let’s just get them, and us, out of there.”

 

“See to it that you do,” Sister Woodhouse said. Alice scowled, though she let FP lead her out of the infirmary, as the hysterical Cheryl followed at her heels. Charles was a few paces ahead. 

 

He really did look like her Jonesy, she thought to herself, as she let him lead the way down familiar halls. She burrowed herself against FP’s side. 

 

“Cheryl,” FP said. “Is there anything here you actually need? Or can you just use Polly’s things? For now. I’m sure that the two of you can go shopping soon.”

 

“I don’t have anything here,” she murmured. 

 

“Do you and Alice want to go—“

 

“No,” she whispered. “I have to see where he lived. What he went through. I need to see.”

 

“Alright, babe,” he said. “She good?”

 

“She seems to be,” Alice told him. “Very active.”

 

“You good, mama?”

 

“Yeah, I think I am,” she admitted, as Charles stopped abruptly in front of a small room, and opened the door. “I mean, as okay as I can be.”

 

“You want to come in?” Charles offered. 

 

“Yeah, okay, honey,” she said and she let FP lead her into the room, which...didn’t look great, she supposed, but at least looked...a bit like a home. It was no place for a child to have lived, of course, and she was horrified at the fact that he had. “Is there anything here that you want to take?”

 

She  _ could  _ do this. She had to do this because otherwise what would Charles think? That she was some sort of hideous mess? There was no point in crying over what she’d lost, what he’d been through, certainly not in front of him. The fact that she had had a chance to have known him in any capacity and the nuns had chosen to take that away from her, from him, it was  _ killing _ her. She didn’t understand why Charles wasn’t angry at her and FP, why he wanted to know them at all, but she wasn’t going to jeopardize it. Crying was a sign of weakness, and Alice did not show weakness. 

 

“Just the stuff about the two of you,” he said. “Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fine,” she said. “I should be asking you that question, except that it’s so obvious what the answer is. Charles, I am so sorry. I never wanted you to be stuck here. Ever.”

 

“It’s not your fault, Mom,” he said. “Mom? Alice? What do you want me to call you?”

 

“You can call me whatever you want,” she whispered. “I’m just glad that you wanted to find me. Find us. Both of us.” She was surprised when Charles enveloped her into a hug, but she eagerly reciprocated. “Come on,” she encouraged. “Let’s go home. You can meet your sisters and brother.”

 

“I have siblings?” 

 

“Yes,” she said. “I’m sure that they’ll like you,” she added. 

 

Alice realized that it looked and sounded terrible to be admitting that Charles had siblings, siblings that she’d kept, and that FP had kept, but he needed to know. There would be no hiding the children. And she didn’t want to hide Charles from them. 

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Of course,” FP answered. “Why wouldn’t they like you? You’re their older brother.”

 

“How many do I have?” 

 

Alice opened her mouth to reply, but FP beat her to the punch. “Your mom and I each have two, and we’ve got the little bit on the way. And, you, of course.”

 

“Why was Cheryl sent here?”

 

“I lied to the nuns, Charles,” Alice said, suddenly exhausted. “Cheryl’s not my stepdaughter, she’s your sister’s best friend. My ex husband was having an affair with her mother. I couldn’t let her go back there.”

 

“You wouldn’t send them there?”

 

“No, of course not.” Alice wasn’t sure of much but she was damn sure of that. “Come on, let’s head home.”

 

She was emotionally spent from her interaction with Sister Woodhouse, and she just wanted to go home and take a nap, even though she suspected that was an impossible goal, given the fact that she was coming home with Cheryl and Charles in tow. Elizabeth was bound to have questions. She handed FP her car keys and climbed into the passenger's seat, watching as the two kids climbed in the back. 

 

“I’m tired,” she whispered, when FP sat down beside her, and she snuggled as close to him as she could with her seatbelt on. “The little bit?”

 

“She is the little bit,” he murmured, as she felt him rub his hands across her bump. “Couldn’t resist. You okay?”

 

“Yeah, just perfect,” she assured him. “Just want to go home.”

 

“Do we have to live in a trailer?” Cheryl chimed in, her tone one of insolence. 

 

“No, Cheryl, our  _ house _ on Elm Street. Don’t worry, there will be no trailer involved.” 

 

“I wouldn’t care if we lived in a trailer,” Charles said. Alice smiled.

 

“That’s sweet, darling, but we don’t all fit in the trailer.” 

  
  
  


***

  
  
  


Betty observed as Cheryl Blossom bolted up her front steps and into the house, unsurprised when she bypassed any form of actual greeting to storm up the stairs in the direction of Polly’s room, where the older girl had gone once she’d heard their mother’s station wagon pull into the driveways. Betty didn’t really like Cheryl, so, she didn’t really care that she hadn’t said hello. She watched as FP got out from the car and crossed the driveway to open her mother’s door, and she smiled to herself as she watched the two of them kiss. It was nice that her mom was happy. She wanted to be able to call FP Dad. 

 

She was confused when the rear door of the station wagon opened, and revealed a teenage boy. Betty had heard Alice make mention of the fact that she was pregnant with her fourth child and not her third, mainly at her doctor’s appointments, but, Betty had always assumed that she had been mistaken, and hadn’t bothered to correct her out of fear of being rude. She now wondered if her mom had been right. Her father  _ had _ said such horrible things to her. 

 

She decided to investigate. Jellybean and Jughead had fallen asleep on the couch, and, therefore, Betty was bored. 

 

The front door swung open, and she heard the familiar clacking of her mother’s heels, and she climbed off the couch, determined to figure out what was happening. Regardless of whether either parent wanted to tell her, it was important to Betty that she say hi to Begonia, and make sure the baby was doing okay. 

 

“Elizabeth?” Her mother called out, and she winced at the loudness of her tone, noticing that Jughead and Jellybean were still asleep. She didn’t want Mommy to accidentally wake them up. “Sweetheart, where are you?” 

 

“Jughead and Jellybean are asleep, Mommy,” she informed her. “Don’t wake them up.” 

 

“Would you like to meet your brother?” 

 

Betty gazed at her with appraising eyes, not sure what the answer she wanted to give was. She didn’t have a problem meeting her brother, but she was just very confused. Where had he come from? Where had Cheryl come from?

 

“I have a brother?” 

 

“Yes, honey, you do,” she whispered. “I thought you knew about him? The baby that I gave up?”   
  


“The baby that Dad yelled at you about before he hurt you?” Betty fretted. “How did you find him? Is he here for a sleepover? Does he know about us? You should be resting, Mommy.”

 

“Yes, his name is Charles,” her mother told her, but she allowed Betty to take her by the hand and lead her over to a chair, and even sat down without complaint, so Betty decided to indulge her. “He’s 16 years old,” she said. “No, honey, he’s going to be staying for good. He knows about all of you, your daddy told him about you when we were on our way home from the place he and Cheryl were.” Alice sighed. “Want to sit with me?”   
  


Betty was happy to oblige. It was nice of her mom to let her sit with her, and by extension Begonia. 

 

“Can I really call him Daddy? FP?” 

 

“Yeah, of course,” she said. “Whatever you want.” 

 

Betty pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I love you, Mommy. I would love to meet my brother, and it’s so cool that he can stay here.” 

 

“Go say hi to him and your dad,” she encouraged, her tone gentle. “Begonia and I will be here.”

 

Betty carefully gave Begonia a kiss. “See you in a couple minutes,” she whispered, not wanting her baby sister to think that she’d forgotten about her. Begonia was the best baby that Betty knew. But there was something appealing about meeting her brother. She was curious about what Charles was like. 

 

So, after giving her mother a hug, she went over to the front door, where both her shiny new big brother  _ and _ her almost official dad were, and she made a beeline to FP, though she offered Charles a shy smile. 

 

“Hey, kiddo,” FP said, and Betty allowed him to scoop her up, even though that decision made her eye level with their new visitor. “This is Charles, your older brother. This is Betty, Charles. Where are your siblings?”

 

“Jughead and Jellybean are sleeping on the couch,” Betty dutifully reported, as she curled closer to him, “and Polly is with Cheryl. Hi, Charles,” she offered. “Mommy told me about you.” 

 

“She did?” Charles sounded surprised. Betty slowly nodded. “When?”

 

“After her first doctor’s appointment for Begonia,” she told him, and she elected to leave out the horrible things her father had said about him, mainly because thinking about him still scared her. “And just now she told me you were going to live with us.”

 

“Later today, I’m going to take Charles and Cheryl to the mall,” FP said. “Your mother might come with us. Did you want to go?”

 

“Not with Cheryl,” Betty said. “She’s mean to me, Daddy. She can stay here but I don’t want to go shopping with her.” 

  
  



	19. i swear i'm not going to let her know all the pain i have known

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yes, you’re my big brother,” she said, as if that was explanation enough. “So you have to sign my cast so everyone knows,” she continued. “But only if you want to. I mean. I know you’re like way older than me, so maybe it’s not cool or anything.”

“What do you mean, Cheryl’s mean to you?” FP questioned Betty gently, though he felt himself puff out with pride at the fact that she called him daddy. It meant a lot to him, that she saw him that way. He really wanted Alice’s kids to like him. “Betty?”   
  


“Why does that surprise you?” Betty asked. “She and Jason...they don’t like me,” she sniffled. “I don’t want to go shopping with her.” 

 

“What if we just took Charles?” 

 

“If you just took Charles, yeah, I’ll go,” she told him. “He’s my brother.” 

 

“You want to come with us? I’m gonna show Charles his new room.” Betty nodded, against his shoulder, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Or, you can stay with your mom, if you’d prefer?”

 

“No, I’ll go with the two of you, then I’ll go cuddle with Mommy and Begonia,” she decided. “Will you play with me and Jughead, Charles?”

 

“Yeah,” he said. “You’d really want me to?”

 

Betty nodded, before he felt her bury her face against his shoulder. He held her close to him, not wanting her to be scared. “You okay, princess?” 

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, and he felt her press a kiss to his cheek. “Can  _ I  _ show Charles his new room?”

 

“You can come with us, yeah,” FP said. “I don’t mind that, do you, Charles?”   
  


“No, I don’t mind.” 

 

FP had to imagine that this was very awkward for all parties involved, even if no one wanted to admit it. He was terrified of screwing this up and ruining Charles’s life even more than it already had been, given that the life Alice had been led to believe he’d lived and reality were two entirely different scenarios. There were also the other kids to consider -- sure, he had known about the baby Alice had given up, but he had never spoken about it to anyone else. It wasn’t his place, and it wasn’t something that he wanted to bring up to the kids. What would have been the point? Getting to know Charles had been something that was barely a pipe dream. And, well, now they were all living together. He was more nervous about that than about the baby that was on the way. 

 

“Will you put me down?” Betty asked, her voice quiet, and he nodded, carefully lowering himself down so she was safely on the floor, and he watched as she reached out for Charles’s hand. “Daddy and I will give you a tour,” she chirped. “Later maybe you can sign my cast? Everyone else has.” 

 

“You really want me to?” Charles sounded surprised. Betty nodded. “Really?”   
  


“Yes, you’re my big brother,” she said, as if that was explanation enough. “So you have to sign my cast so everyone knows,” she continued. “But only if you want to. I mean. I know you’re like way older than me, so maybe it’s not cool or anything.”   
  


“You...consider me your brother?” Charles sounded confused. 

 

“Yeah,” she confirmed. “I’m glad you can come stay with us,” she added. “Really glad. It will make Mommy and Daddy super happy. Right?”

 

“Of course it will make us super happy,” FP agreed easily, as they headed upstairs. “And, princess, I will talk to Cheryl. She shouldn’t be bullying you.”   
  


“Okay, Daddy.” 

 

It was clear that Betty had taken the fact that Hal had signed his rights away to the girls in her stride, and allowed it to pave the way towards her referring to him as her daddy, and FP certainly wasn’t going to complain about it. If Betty wanted him to be her father, he would be the damn best father the girl had ever known. He’d try at least. He really wanted that for both of Alice’s daughters, even if Polly never saw him that way, and he wanted it for Jughead and Jellybean, too. He wasn’t going to stop Gladys from being in their lives, but, if they wanted to call Alice mom, that was fine by him. 

 

“Which room is going to be his?” Betty asked. “The one next to you and Mommy’s? Or the one down the hall?”

 

“The room next to ours is for the baby,” FP pointed out. “At least, I think it will be.”   
  


“When is the baby coming?” Charles asked. “Soon?”

 

“Nah, kid, not for awhile,” he told him, as he ran his hands through his hair. “Probably the middle of May.” 

 

“Mommy told me that we were all overdue,” Betty told them. “Maybe Begonia will be, too.”

 

“Maybe,” he agreed. “Guess we’ll find out, yeah?” 

 

“Where’s Charles?” Alice asked the two of them when he and Betty came back downstairs, and he sat down on the sectional sofa beside her, and let her settle on his lap, allowing Betty to climb up beside them. “Is everything alright?”

 

“Yeah, babe,” he said. “He wanted to shower and take a nap, I think it’s safe to say that it’s been an exhausting day for everyone, yeah?”   
  


“Not me,” Betty said. “I’m not tired.” 

 

“Oh, really?” Alice questioned, her eyes wide. “What about Begonia? You wouldn’t want to nap with her?” 

 

“I don’t think Begonia is tired either, Mommy,” she said. “Is she?”

 

“No, honey, she seems to be excited,” Alice admitted, as FP wrapped his arms around her, and settled his hands on her belly, right where the baby was kicking. “I think that her mommy and daddy are tired, though. It’s been a long day.”

 

“You mean  _ our _ mommy and daddy,” Betty corrected, as she tucked herself against him and Alice, her casted hand reaching up and joining his. “Not  _ just _ Begonia’s and Charles’s. Mine too.” 

 

“What, princess?” 

 

“Betty, uh, she called me Daddy earlier,” he said, and Alice gazed up at him. “When I was introducing her to Charles. That’s okay, right?”   
  


“Oh, Jonesy, that’s more than okay,” she breathed. “You’re calling FP Daddy, sweetie?” 

 

“He is my daddy,” Betty said. “He said he wanted to be. And you said that he was going to be nice to me and not be like Dad was.”   
  


“That’s right,” she confirmed. “You like your brother?”   
  


“He seems nice,” she said. “He said he would sign my cast.” 

 

“They seemed to get on well, Allie,” he assured her, as he positioned Betty’s hand so she could better feel Begonia’s movements, which seemed to be a sure sign that her assessment of Begonia not being tired was correct. Betty giggled quietly as the baby kicked, and he let out a content sigh. “The kids give you any trouble?” 

 

Jughead and Jellybean were still soundly asleep, but who knew if that had been an illusion? He didn’t want to assume. 

 

“No, they were asleep the entire time,” she answered. “I just put blankets on them.” 

 

“You think they’ll be okay with this?” He wondered. “How do we even tell them?”   
  
“What do you mean?” 

 

“I mean, they don’t know, Allie,” he said. “Jellybelly is too young for me to even begin to explain to her, and I meant what I said when I told you that I wasn’t going to tell anyone, not even the kids, about the baby you gave up. It wasn’t my place.” 

 

“Honey, you could have…”   
  


“Who could I have? Gladys? It would have been all over the town by the time it left my lips,” he admitted. “I didn’t want our son to become some sort of gossip fodder. I loved him, Allie, even though I never knew him until today. I wouldn’t have wanted him cheapened like that.” 

 

“We can just tell Jughead,” she said, as she exhaled loudly. “I don’t think it will be that much of a problem, if we just explain.” 

 

“Are you sure?” 

 

“Juggie will understand,” Betty chimed in. “You and Mommy gave Charles up because you were too little to raise him,” she added. “Like on that show that Polly watches.” 

 

“What  _ show _ that Polly watches?” Alice demanded. 

 

“It’s on MTV,” she supplied. “I don’t watch it with her.”   
  


“Al, think about the baby,” he interjected. “It’s alright. We’ll deal with Polly and her shows later.” 

 

“I--”

 

Betty let out an excited squeal, which effectively cut off Alice’s rebuttal. “Jellybean’s awake,” she breathed, and he followed her gaze, shooting his baby girl a smile. “Can I get her a bottle?” 

 

“By yourself?” Alice questioned. “Do you know how to?”

 

“Juggie showed me how to,” she said. “Please? You said you and Daddy were tired, I can do it.”   
  


“It’s okay, Betts,” he said. “Why don’t you help me? We can get us a snack, too. Hey, Bean,” he added, his voice growing rather soft, as Jellybean toddled over to them on the couch. “Come here to Daddy, sweetie pie.” 

 

“Dada!” She exclaimed happily, as she launched herself at him. “Hi.”   
  


“Hey to you, little lady. Want to cuddle with your mama while Betty and I get us all something to eat?”


	20. just tell me how I got this far, just tell me why you're here, and who you are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Elizabeth Cooper,” she said, her tone flat. “You don’t actually want to see the woman who caused you to break your arm? You could have been seriously injured! What in God’s name possesses you to have these thoughts?”
> 
>  
> 
> “Jones,” she muttered. “You promised.”

“Mommy, look!” Betty chirped happily in Alice’s ear as she flipped her way through a rack of maternity clothes, watching FP, Charles, and Jughead with one eye, off in the distance, while Jellybean was happy to sit in the stroller that Betty had insisted on pushing throughout the mall. “I see Archie!” 

 

“How wonderful,” she murmured, not entirely listening to the conversation. “Are you sure it’s him?”

 

“Yes, he’s with Mr. and Mrs. Andrews,” Betty said. Alice scowled. “Shouldn’t we go say hi to them? I want them to meet Charles.”

 

“Elizabeth Cooper,” she said, her tone flat. “You don’t actually want to see the woman who caused you to break your arm? You could have been seriously injured! What in God’s name possesses you to have these thoughts?”   
  


“Jones,” she muttered. “You promised.” 

 

“Oh, Elizabeth, I didn’t mean anything by it,” she sighed, as she watched Betty’s eyes fill with tears. “Of course you can be Elizabeth Jones,” she soothed. “Don’t cry, sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Would you like to go introduce Charles to Archie?” Alice saw the potential for this to go badly, but, she didn’t want Betty to cry. Betty nodded, as tears slipped down her cheeks. “Come here, sweetheart. I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

 

“I don’t have to keep being a Cooper?” She heard Betty whisper, as she buried her face against her midsection, her arms wrapped firmly around her. “You promise?”

 

“I promise, sweetheart,” Alice assured her. “I will even go to the school and speak to them about it, okay? Would that make you feel better?”

 

“Only if it won’t upset you and Begonia,” she whimpered. 

 

“Begonia won’t be upset about you having the same last name she will,” she whispered, as she carded her fingers through Betty’s hair. “I think it will make her very happy. See? She’s kicking. She loves you.’ 

 

“I love her too, Mommy,” she whispered. “So much.” She sniffled. “Can I really have Charles meet Archie?”

 

“Yes,” she said, biting back a sigh. “Go along to your father, and tell him that I said this was acceptable.” 

 

“You have to, too,” she insisted. 

 

“Elizabeth, I have to…” Alice trailed off. “Oh, alright, fine. Do you want to see Archibald and his parents, Forsythia?” Jellybean’s eyes lit up, and she babbled happily, and Alice felt her guilt grow. “Betty wants them to meet your big brother,” she informed her. “Doesn’t that sound fun?”

It did not sound fun  _ at all _ to Alice, but what could she do? Let Betty do it on her own? She was angry at Fred and Mary, yes, but she wasn’t about to be childish and let Betty take over social interaction with them, given that she was eight and Alice was  _ thirty three _ and a full grown adult. Plus, there was Charles to consider. She didn’t want it to appear that she didn’t want to see him. 

 

“Do you want to push the stroller, sweetheart?” 

 

“Uh huh,” Betty nodded, and she peeled herself off of Alice, leaving her to smooth out the skirt of her jumper, which had gotten rumpled in the process of her being hugged. “I told you, Mommy, I can do it. You need to rest.” 

 

“I pushed Polly’s stroller when I was pregnant with you,” she protested. Betty gave her a look. “What? I did.” 

 

“I want to push Jellybean’s,” she said, her tone rather firm for a second grader. “You and Daddy said I could. And you shouldn’t have been pushing Polly’s.” 

 

“Okay, sweetheart,” Alice said. She wasn’t going to get into a fight with Betty about something so ridiculous at the mall. She had some standards for proper behavior, thank you. “You’re a very big help, you know that, right?”

 

“I know, Mommy,” she assured her. “I’m sorry I cried on your dress.” 

 

“Don’t apologize, honey, you did nothing wrong,” Alice whispered, and she pressed a kiss on the top of Betty’s head. “Come on, it would be a shame if Archie left without meeting Charles.” 

 

“It would be,” she agreed. “Thank you for bringing Charles home, Mommy. I wish you hadn’t brought Cheryl home, but he makes up for it.” 

 

“Honey, I know you don’t like Cheryl,” she said softly. “I understand. But, we couldn’t leave her there, not with those people, not with what they were doing. And she can’t go home because...well, it’s not safe for her.” 

 

“She’s still mean to me.”

 

“I know, sweetheart, and FP and I will talk to her,” she promised. “I just need you to be patient, okay?” 

 

“Okay,” she said. “We can look at clothes for you after, Mommy,” she insisted. “I don’t want Archie to leave.” 

 

Alice gave the rack of professional wear a wistful gaze, determined to hold Betty to it. She needed clothing for work whether she wanted to admit it or not, and the truth was that Begonia was intent on making her presence known in practically everything Alice wore, which wasn’t exactly the most professional thing in the world. Her baby bump also nicely eliminated most of her dress pants, which was why she had taken to wearing dresses and skirts lately. It wasn’t a trend she wanted to continue in the cold upstate New York winter, no matter how much FP liked it. 

 

“Alright, honey,” she agreed. “Let’s go.” 

 

She steeled herself for the impending encounter with Fred and Mary, not wanting to have anything to do with her neighbors, but recognizing that Betty had a point. She didn’t want Charles to think that she was ashamed of him -- she wasn’t -- and Lord knew that the two idiot busibodies in the house next door would probably overreact to a teenage boy suddenly appearing at the house. Betty was thankfully making a beeline towards her fiance and sons, rather than towards the red-headed family, whom Alice was frankly hoping was going to exit the store before they were spotted. 

  
Was that cruel? Probably.

 

Did Alice care? Not at all.

 

“Hey,” FP said, once they’d reached them, and he pulled her into a hug. “What’s up? I thought you needed clothes?”

 

“Elizabeth noticed Archibald,” she muttered, her tone dark. “And decided that she wanted to introduce Charles to him and his milquetoast parents.” She sighed. “I decided that indulging her was the best idea.” She cupped FP’s chin in her hands, and drew him in for a hungry kiss, losing herself in the moment. “You won’t leave me, will you?” 

 

“Of course not, babe,” he murmured, as he released her from the hug, and approached the stroller, intent on picking up Jellybean, who reached out in his direction. “Hi, Jellybelly,” he said, and she watched as he unbuckled her seatbelt and scooped her up into his arms, before he went back to stand beside her, and wrapped his arm around her waist. “You wanna say hi to your sister?”

 

“Hi baby,” Jellybean offered brightly, as FP put her hand on Alice’s belly. “Hi Mama.”   
  


“Hello, lovey,” Alice said. “You feel Begonia?” Jellybean nodded. Alice grinned. “She loves you, Jellybelly.” 

 

“Baby wuv?” 

 

“Yeah, the baby, she loves you,” FP encouraged. “You’re her big sister, yeah?”   
  


“How are you guys doing?” Alice asked, as she pretended to not notice that Betty had actually approached Fred and Mary while she was distracted with FP and Jellybean. “Is everything going okay?”

 

“I think so,” he said, and he shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, I don’t really have anything to compare it to, you know? Not like we have another teenager hanging around anywhere. Or do we?” A smirk played on his lips. “I’m kidding, babe.”   
  


“Very funny.” 

  
  


“They don’t believe me,” Betty’s voice announced, and Alice scowled as she saw the expression on her face. This was unacceptable. “They thought I was kidding, Mommy.”   
  


“Did they, now?” Alice questioned, her tone dangerous. “I will be speaking to them.”

 

“You will be?” Betty echoed. “I’m going to take Jellybelly to see Juggie and Charles,” she decided, reaching out for the baby. “Wanna walk, Jellybelly?”

 

Alice watched Jellybean toddle away beside Betty, clinging to her hand as she walked, and she leaned into FP’s waiting embrace. 

 

“Al, you don’t have to--”   
  


“Yes, I do,” she insisted. “I won’t have them call Elizabeth a liar, and I won’t have them ruin her excitement at  _ having _ Charles in her life, and I am not putting up with them having these  _ attitudes _ about everything. Does it ever occur to them that they could save themselves being the justified target of my rage if they ever took two seconds to think? Ever? But, they don’t, so they won’t ever comprehend what it is they cause.” 

 

“Allie--”   
  


“I’m not ashamed of my life, I’m not ashamed of my choices that I made, FP,” she hissed. “I won’t have my children be continually punished for my sins or petty grudges that people have held since high school over a stupid game. It’s not my fault that Fred’s father bit it while we were at that party, and we all know it. I just think it’s rich of him to forgive you and not me, when we both made the same damn choices. I don’t even care that Mary is Harold’s lawyer,” she continued. “I hope she enjoys fiscal insolvency when she realizes that what he gave  _ me _ in our divorce decree means that he can’t pay her, and I certainly won’t be. My problem is that they can’t get over themselves enough to let the kids be kids, and it is fast growing tiresome. Do you think it thrilled me when Betty befriended the Andrews’ boy? Of course it didn’t. But, I kept quiet, I held my tongue, which, I continue to do.” 

 

“I just want them to be nice to Betty,” she whispered. “You were  _ never _ like this to her. Ever.”   
  


“Of course I wasn’t, Allie, she was your daughter. I was never going to be mean to her, she was your kid, and even if she wasn’t, she was Jughead’s friend.” 

 

“I just...they couldn’t have just indulged her?” 

 

“I don’t know, honey,” he whispered, and she felt him hug her tighter. “We’ll talk to them together,” he said. “Right now.” 

 

“You want to?” Alice gazed up at him, and she blinked away tears. “Really?”

 

“Yeah,” he said. “They made our daughter cry. That’s the least of their offenses.” 

 

“Thank you, Jonesy,” she whispered. “I really love you. So much.”

 

“I know you do, babe,” he whispered. “God, I love you too.”

 

“I’m sorry that I can’t stop crying,” Alice said, as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “It’s the baby...the hormones...they’re going wild.” 

 

“Don’t apologize,” he whispered. “It’s been a long day. I think we can say the entire pregnancy has been very long for you?”   
  


“Not in a bad way,” she protested. “I mean, I missed you so much while you were away, and I didn’t want to be around Hal ever, and I didn’t think he would treat me how he did...but your letters made me so happy. And, now you’re here, and we’re  _ all _ a family together, and I just...I really am happy, honey. Just...I’m very overwhelmed.”

 

“It’s okay not to be okay,” he said. “They told me that, in rehab. That it was okay to admit that I wasn’t okay. It’s okay for you to do that, too.” 

 

“Okay, honey,” Alice whispered. “You paid attention at rehab?”   
  


“Yeah, I mean, it was for the kids,” he told her. “For you, our baby, our family. I wanted to get better for all of us.”

 

“You really do love me.” 

 

“Love you a hell of a damn lot, woman,” he said. “Don’t you know that yet?”   
  


“I think I’ve had some idea.”

  
  
  


***

  
  
  


“What the hell is your problem?” FP demanded, having left Alice with her doting followers (and by that he meant their demanding children) and approached Fred and Mary on his own, hoping that his demeanor was every bit as angry as he intended it to be. He knew he could be intimidating (it was part and parcel of his role as gang leader), and he damn well wanted to be. “Do you really feel the need to dig your hole deeper and deeper at every turn?”   
  


“We don’t have time to indulge Betty’s fantasies,” Mary replied. “They’re getting more and more ridiculous by the day.” 

 

“Charles isn’t a fantasy,” he pointed out. “I knocked Alice up in high school, and she went away to have the baby, and he’s here now, in the flesh.” He shook his head. “For that matter, what the hell other ‘fantasies’ has Betty been producing that the two of you have ignored because of some petty bullshit grudges the two of you have against  _ my _ fiancee? If I have to ask the kids what you’re talking about, I won’t be happy.”

 

“She has an imagination, FP,” Mary said, while FP noticed how uncomfortable Fred looked with the conversational topic. “So of course she was going to exaggerate things.”

 

“Things like what, Mary? What was she ‘exaggerating’?”   
  


“I think that the...incident wasn’t the first time Hal physically assaulted Alice,” Fred interjected. “Hindsight being 20/20, of course--”

 

“Fred! Hal said that Betty was making that up!”

 

“We saw her with those bruises, Mary!”

 

“Shut up, the both of you!” FP had heard enough. “Fuck you and your client, okay? Of course Hal said that Betty was lying, why the hell wouldn’t he? He’s an abuser, Mary, not a damn moron. Doesn’t it say pretty much everything that he didn’t even wait until his trial to cut Alice loose and leave her free and clear? He knows that he’s fucked, and you’re too focused on the fact that Alice used to bully you in middle school to realize what is in front of your face.” He shook his head. “And, you! What the hell? You were just okay with Betty admitting that her mother was being hurt and brushing that off because of what, Fred? It’s not Alice’s fault that your dad died, okay? I was there too. Stop blaming her for something that wasn’t her fault.”

 

“I--”

 

“FP--”

 

“Can I meet Betty’s brother?” Archie piped up, and he eyed FP with curiosity. “She seemed really excited about him before Mom and Dad said he didn’t exist.” 

 

“Yeah. Sure, kid,” he said. “You can come with me and meet Charles. Would you like to come over for a sleepover? I think your parents have some thinking to do, don’t they?”   
  


“Can I?”

 

“That’s fine, Archie,” Fred said. “If Mr. Jones wants to take you.” 

 

“I don’t have any issues with it,” he said. “Come on, Red. Make sure you tell Mrs. Jones that you want to meet Charles.”

 

“Mrs…” Mary and Fred bore matching slack jawed expressions.    
  


“Well, as good as,” he said. “Sooner, rather than later. You know how it goes. Come on, Red. Betty and Jugs will be glad you are going to spend the night.” 

 

“Can I play with your dog?” Archie asked as they walked away from his parents, who still looked rather confused. “When we get back to your house?” 

 

“Sure, Red. I think Hot Dog’ll like that.” 

 

Alice had commandeered a couch near one of the fitting rooms, and he felt himself fill with pride as he noticed that Jughead and Betty were sat on either side of her, while Jellybean was perched on her lap. They really looked like a family. It made him really happy. He crossed the aisles to where they sat, making sure Archie was following him, and he noticed that all three kids’ eyes lit up when they saw that Archie was there. 

 

“Where’s your brother?” He questioned. “Al?”

 

“He’s trying on some clothes,” she explained. “Hello, Archibald.” 

 

“Hey, Mrs. Jones.” 

 

“What?” Alice seemed taken aback. “Where did--”   
  


“Mr. Jones, he said that you two were as good as,” Archie said. “Whatever that means. I don’t know.” 

 

“Oh, honey...,” she trailed off. “Did you mean that?”

 

“Yeah, I meant it,” he whispered. “Marry you tomorrow if I could.” 

 

“Maybe not  _ tomorrow _ honey, but we could get the license?” She offered. “I think there’s a 24 hour wait time, though, before we can get hitched.”

 

“How do you know that stuff?” He asked, and he dropped down on the couch beside her, and pulled a face at Jellybean, pleased when he made her laugh. “I’d like that.”

 

“I looked it up when my divorce went through,” she admitted, her tone quiet. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be married before the baby came, I would really like to be, but I want to decide together, but--”   
  


“Yeah, I want to marry you,” he said. “Fuck, babe, I’ll marry you 24 hours on the dot to the time we picked it up.” He ran his hands through her hair. “I want our kids to know that we’re in this together, for the long haul, that this is how things are going to be. And I don’t need a fancy wedding to be your husband, if that’s what you want, I’m fine with that, but…”

 

“I don’t need one either,” she said. “Just you and our babies.” 

 

“I love you, Allie,” he whispered. “Love you, and the kids, so fuckin’ damn much. I’ll never do anything to hurt you, I swear to you. You and the kids are my world. You don’t have to be scared anymore, and neither does Betty, okay?”   
  


“I’m not scared of you,” Betty insisted. “Did you really tell Archie he could spend the night?” 

 

“Yeah, thought you and Jugs deserved to spend the night with him,” he sighed. “I’m sure that will be an experience for us all. The three of you? You better not keep your mother up. She needs her rest.” 

 

“I would  _ never _ keep Mommy and Begonia up,” she said, her tone serious, and her eyes wide. “It’s important that she gets rest, you’re so right. She and Begonia both need their sleep.”

 

“Begonia’s not very good at that,” he admitted. “She seems to think that the middle of the night is playtime.” 

 

“I don’t want to keep Jelly up either,” she insisted. “She needs to sleep too, she’s so little.”

 

“I know,” FP told her. “You’re a good sister, for thinking of her like that.” 

 

“I love her,” Betty said. “She’s my sister. Will you let us get matching outfits, Mommy?”

 

“Sure, princess, if that’s what you want,” Alice said. “You’d really want to match with Jelly?”   
  


“Yes. She’s my sister, and I want to match with her like Polly would match with me before she got too cool.”


	21. it feels like years since it's been here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The hell you will,” he said, and he glared at him with hardened eyes. “You think that I’m just gonna let you go into my house and speak to my daughter like you haven’t been treating her like shit or letting Mary treat her like shit because of some petty bullshit? Apologies are cheap. Talk is cheap, Freddie. I don’t buy it, not for a second.”

“What the hell is that noise?” FP heard in his ear, the very real intrusion of Alice’s half asleep question interrupting a decent, yet confusing, dream that he was having, which involved her and some rather horrified shouting, which...well, dream Alice had been going down on her damn knees for him rather than shouting, so he’d tried very hard to focus on that. “FP? Wake up.” 

 

“Five more minutes, Allie,” he mumbled. “‘s alright, babe, go back to bed.” 

 

“I  _ can’t _ sleep,” she hissed, and he opened his eyes, and squinted at her in the darkness. He couldn’t see very well without his contact lenses in, after all. Certainly not in the dark. “Whatever the hell it is is too loud.”   
  


“Oh, you mean the shouting is real,” he said, as realization dawned on him, and he sat up in bed and flicked on the bedside lamp. He slipped on his glasses, and he forced himself to wake up, attempting to will his growing erection away. “Sorry, babe, I didn’t realize. What  _ is _ that sound?”

 

“I don’t know! I was sound asleep and it woke me up. It sounds like a movie.” 

 

“I thought the kids were all in bed,” he mused. “You think it’s Charles?”

 

“No, I don’t think it’s Charles,” she said, and he saw the scowl on her face. “I think it’s Polly and Cheryl. I don’t think that it’s Betty and the boys, because Elizabeth would never watch something so fucking loud, especially if it came at the risk of disturbing the baby. Jellybean...if it was her, I’d be damn impressed. I…” She trailed off. “Elizabeth? What is it?”   
  


“Jellybean’s scared of all the noise,” Betty reported, as she crossed the room to approach the bed, the serpent clutched in her arms. “I told her that it was okay, but she won’t go back to sleep, and I don’t know how to get her out of the crib with my arm…”

 

“Don’t worry about it, kid,” he said. “I’ll go with you. And then deal with your sister.” 

 

“Oh, I will deal with them,” Alice said, her tone dark. “You just make sure that Jellybelly is okay.” 

 

“She’s crying, Mommy,” Betty added. “I didn’t know what to do. I’m sorry for waking you up.”   
  


“You didn’t, Betty. Don’t worry about it.” 

 

“Come on, Betty,” FP said through a yawn, hoping his tone was encouraging, though he felt like he could fall back asleep right then and there, were it not for the fact that Jellybean was upset. He couldn’t not check on his baby girl. That would be a shitty thing to do. “I’ll come with you and try to calm down Jellybean, okay? You did the right thing, sweetheart.” He turned to Alice. “You sure you don’t want me to handle all of it?”

 

“Yeah, it’s fine,” she said. “I’m hungry, anyways.”

 

“Mommy!” Betty admonished. “It’s after midnight.”

 

“Tell that to Begonia,” Alice said, and her lips quirked into a grin. “She doesn’t quite grasp the concept of time.”

  
  


Betty looked entranced. FP just chuckled. “What does the munchkin want?” He splayed his hand out across her bump. “Pickles and peanut butter?”

 

“Yes. And marshmallow fluff.” 

 

“Be good to your mama, baby girl,” he instructed, though his tone was playful, as he slipped out of bed, thankful for the foresight he’d had to wear boxers to bed the previous evening. He really didn’t think he wanted to explain to Betty why neither he nor Alice were dressed, even if dressed for Alice was only one of his old t-shirt, which thankfully resembled a dress on her. “Come on, Betts. Let’s go cheer up Jellybelly.” He ruffled her hair. “I’m sorry she woke you up.”

 

“It’s okay,” Betty said. “I don’t mind. I don’t like that she was scared. I asked Polly and Cheryl to turn the movie down and they said no.” 

 

“They said what?” Alice demanded, though the effect was sort of tempered by the fact that her hair was tousled from being abruptly woken from sleep. “Are you serious? Those little…”

 

“Yes, Mommy, they said that,” she confirmed. “I told them that Jellybelly and I couldn’t sleep and that they were going to wake up you and Daddy and they said that they were having a sleepover and they could do what they wanted, even when I told them that you said Cheryl was living here and  _ not _ having a sleepover.” 

 

“Go with your father,” Alice said, as she stalked out of the room. “I’ll see that they’re deal with.” 

 

“You like the snake, sweetie?” FP asked, as he let Betty take him by the hand and lead him in the direction of her bedroom, which she had requested to share with Jellybean, despite his and Alice’s insistence that Jellybean could share the room that the baby was going to have with the baby when she was born. “You can keep it, if you want,” he added. “We can get a second one for Begonia.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah, of course,” he said. “You like it, you should keep it.” He opened the door to her room. “Hey, Jellybellybean. Daddy’s here. I got you, okay?” She reached her arms out for him, and he quickly picked her up, and held her close. “What do you say we get you changed, baby girl? And then maybe Betty and I can read you another bedtime story?” He heard her sniffle, but felt her nod against his shirt. “I’m sorry that you’re scared, sweetheart. Mama will make things better.” 

 

“Mama?” 

 

“She’ll be here in a little bit, alright, Bean?” His toddler nodded solemnly at him, tears still in her eyes. “We can even read the stories in my room, okay? With Mama?”

 

“And Betty?”

 

“Yeah, baby girl,” he said. “With Betty. Maybe you two can even spend the night with us.”

 

“I would like that,” he heard Betty say. “If you’re sure the two of you don’t mind.” 

 

“I don’t mind, kiddo.” He ruffled her hair as he passed by to change Jellybean. “Don’t think your mom will care much, either.”

 

“Do you need my help?” Betty questioned. 

 

“Yeah, you want to get Jelly’s pacifier and her blanket? And a couple books?” FP asked, as he finished up. “Bring ‘em into our room, and I’m just gonna wash up, okay? Jelly and I will be in in a minute.” He blew a raspberry on Jellybean’s belly before zipping up her footie pajamas, and got a giggle from the little girl. “Getting big, pretty girl,” he mused. “Pretty soon you’re not gonna be the baby.” 

  
  


***

  
  


Alice stormed down the stairs, and she only bothered to take them one at a time for the sake of the baby, beyond unamused. What the hell were Cheryl and Polly thinking? Watching horror movies at 2 o’clock in the morning? Alice was used to their collective idiocy, but this was beyond the pale. 

 

“People in this house are  _ sleeping _ right now!” She thundered, as she turned the television off with the remote control. “Did you tell your sister that you didn’t care that Jellybean was scared?”

 

“She just asked us to turn the movie down,” Polly said in defense, and Alice scowled. “She didn’t say that Jellybean was scared, Mom. I didn’t realize that she was.”

 

“Wouldn’t you be scared if you were  _ sixteen months old _ and you were woken up by the sounds of people being tortured? Of course she was scared. And even though Elizabeth didn’t specify that, you should have obliged her. Or, better yet, the two of you should be in bed. Asleep.” 

 

“I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t think--”

 

“What’s the big deal? We’re just watching a movie.”   
  


“Cheryl Blossom, I swear to you, you better hold your tongue around me, considering the hell I saved you from? Considering the fact that FP and I have given you a  _ home _ when we could have just left you at the Sisters?”

 

“Mumsy would have come back for me,” she said.

 

“No, Cheryl, she wouldn’t have. Your mother was more than willing to drop off all of your things, remember? That’s why you and Polly didn’t have to go shopping with us.” 

 

“Stop it, Cheryl,” Polly insisted. “Mom, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare Jellybean. Is she going to be alright?”

 

“Of course she’s going to be alright,” Alice said. “Margaret, this behavior is reprehensible. I have to try to go to work at some point tomorrow and I am going to be absolutely exhausted if I even try to, not to mention the fact that your sisters are both awake, along with FP. The both of you are going back to bed, right this instant, and you are lucky I don’t wish to punish Elizabeth and Forsythia by making each of them bunk with one of you, because I really am tempted.”

 

“I really am sorry, Mom. We’ll go to bed. I promise. Come on, Cheryl.”

 

Cheryl followed Polly up the stairs, though her eye roll in Alice’s direction did not go unnoticed. 

 

She drew in a deep breath and headed into the kitchen, intent on getting her pickles and peanut butter, along with her marshmallow fluff. Begonia was rather pleased to be awake and have an audience at the time of night (typically the poor thing had to content herself with her father’s sleepy kisses and lullabies that only worked if the baby was feeling charitable) and had begun to flutter about. She rubbed her belly absentmindedly as she opened the refrigerator door, and began to eat the food. It tasted delicious. 

 

“You’re definitely a little Jones, aren’t you, my little one?” Begonia did a somersault in response. “I love you, too, Begonia.”

 

She finished her snack and walked back upstairs, listening for sounds of social interaction, and was pleased when she heard none. 

 

“Hey, guys,” she said, unsurprised when she walked into the bedroom and found Jellybean and Betty on either side of FP, who looked dangerously close to drifting off mid-sentence. “Daddy say you could sleep in here?”   
  


“I said that it was okay with you,” FP said, his tone sounding sheepish and exhausted. “You okay with it?”   
  


“Yeah, of course,” she told him, as she slid into bed, reclaiming her spot. Jellybean wriggled closer to her. “Hi, princess,” she said. “You feeling better?” 

 

“Yeah, Mama,” Jellybean nodded, as she appraised her with her eyes, and tugged her -- carefully -- on to her lap. “Baby?” Jellybean reached out with an outstretched hand, and Alice took it in hers, and placed them both where the baby favored kicking. “Baby.” Her tone was satisfied, and Alice beamed. It was nice of Jellybean to show an interest in Begonia. She hoped they would get along well.

 

“Yes, that is the baby,” she said in agreement. “She’s saying hi to you.” Jellybean seemed satisfied with the answer, and she curled herself into Alice, her hand firmly settled where she had placed it. “Elizabeth, do you think you might be able to sleep?”

 

“Yes, Mommy,” Betty said. “We don’t even have to finish the story.” 

 

“I think your father would appreciate that,” Alice said, as she glanced over at FP, who was failing at his impersonation as a person that was awake, and she bit back a wistful sigh. Alice couldn’t remember the last time that Hal was a father to either of the girls, and there was FP, who had stepped up to the plate without her even asking him to. To say that she was grateful to him was an understatement. “Come on, Jonesy,” she added. “Time to go back to sleep.” 

 

“What about the munchkin?” He murmured. “She up?”

 

“It’s okay,” she said. “She’s mostly calmed down.” 

 

“You get to eat?” 

 

“Yes. I think it satisfied her.” She ruffled his hair. “Listen, honey, you can just sleep. The baby’s got her audience in Jellybean.” 

 

“She’s a good girl, Jellybelly. You are, too, Betty. You mind getting the light?” 

 

Alice was perfectly capable of getting the light herself, but she knew that Betty liked having tasks, and she decided to lean back against her pillows, and relax. She really was tired (and very annoyed that her restful sleep had been interrupted by Cheryl and Polly over a stupid movie), and it was important to her that Jellybean and Betty resumed their slumber sooner rather than later. FP snuggled up beside her. 

 

“Are you okay, Mommy?” Betty whispered. “Do you and Jellybelly need anything?”

 

“We’re fine,” she said. “Just go to sleep, Elizabeth.” 

  
  


***

  
  


The truth was that Fred Andrews was feeling rather guilty for what had happened the day before at the mall, and, he supposed, he shared his share of blame for the excellent talking points that FP had brought up in conversation when he had disagreed with how he and Mary had been handling situations that involved the current and former residents of the house next door. Perhaps it had been wrong to discount what Betty had been saying as hearsay, a child’s overactive imagination at play. Mary insisted that FP was wrong, that he was overreacting, but...well, even if Fred didn’t entirely believe that he was in the wrong, there was no way that he was resuming working with FP and power tools without clearing the air. 

 

Alice could attack them with words all she wanted, FP would probably just choose to attack Fred with his fists. And the sad thing was that Fred couldn’t even blame him. Maybe it was ridiculous to hold a grudge on someone because of happenstance that had happened nearly two decades ago. 

 

Regardless of Mary’s feelings, this was Fred’s business partner, and their neighbors, and the mother and father of Archie’s best friends. He couldn’t let his own attitude cut Archie off from his friendships. That wouldn’t be fair. 

 

So, there Fred was, bravely dressing himself up in his winter jacket and boots, to make the trek to the house next door, ostensibly to pick up Archie, but in reality, his plan was to grovel. To Alice, to FP, the children, whomever. 

 

Just because Mary wanted to be on Hal’s side, did not mean that Fred had to be. He was capable of his own thoughts. He was. 

 

If those thoughts were mainly of self-preservation? They will still his. 

 

“Fred Andrews.” FP’s voice drew him out of his thoughts, and he whirled around in the direction that it had come from, spotting the other man standing on the stone steps that led to Alice’s front door, a lit cigarette in his mouth. “What brings you here? Going somewhere?”

 

“Thought I would stop by,” he said. “Check on Archie.” 

 

FP scoffed. “Red? The kid’s fine. Why don’t you see if your lady’s spying at us through her windows?” 

 

“What are you talking about?” 

 

“Don’t tell me you don’t know. You don’t know that Mary likes to watch the show through Archie’s room? Like she’s some kinda voyeur and not a high powered defense attorney.” 

 

“No! I did not know that!” 

 

“Betty doesn’t like it,” he drawled, and Fred watched him ash out the cigarette butt and slip it in his pocket, before taking out the pack of smokes and lighting a second one. “I don’t like things that my children don’t like, do I, Freddie?” 

 

“I’ll speak to her,” he insisted. The fact that Mary was spying on actual children was unacceptable. It was ridiculous. Betty was eight! “And I’ll apologize to Betty. Right now.” 

 

“The hell you will,” he said, and he glared at him with hardened eyes. “You think that I’m just gonna let you go into my house and speak to my daughter like you haven’t been treating her like shit or letting Mary treat her like shit because of some petty bullshit? Apologies are cheap. Talk is cheap, Freddie. I don’t buy it, not for a second.” 

 

“Does Alice know that you smoke?” 

 

“Fuck off, does Alice know that I smoke? What the fuck do you care?” Fred was getting the sense that FP was angrier at him than he had previously assumed, and he regretted his decision to attempt to interact. “Alice doesn’t spend all her damn time judging me about smoking a damn cigarette, or about every fucking mistake I’ve had the nerve to make over my sorry excuse for a life.” 

 

“That isn’t true!” 

 

“You  _ fired  _ me because I had  _ no choice _ but to rejoin the Serpents, Fred, because Jellybean was  _ fucking  _ premature and those goddamned medical bills were knocking me on the ass and you just didn’t give a flying shit that I  _ needed _ the money and had no other way to get it. I  _ got _ that we were in a dry spell, Fred, I understood that, but you  _ always _ judged me for doing what I had to do for my family. Did it ever occur to you that while you had Mary to keep you afloat when things got bad, I had me? I was the breadwinner, Fred. Me. Not Gladys. Me. There was no secret slush fund for me to tap into when times got tough.” 

 

He watched FP as he lit another cigarette. “I--”

 

“No, you don’t get to talk now,” he said. “I’m tired of you coming around and offering up bullshit excuses for your behavior. Obviously you don’t understand where I’m coming from, so I am going to explain it to you, in the hopes that you might at some point get your head out of your ass and  _ listen _ to me. To Alice. To our kids.” 

 

“You have all these opportunities, Fred, hell, Allie’s got them too. You could get any job you wanted tomorrow if you tried. You don’t have a record, you don’t have the stigma of being from the wrong side of the tracks, hell you have a damn college degree, don’t you? You’re a Northsider. You can rely on others. I couldn’t. There was no second chance for me once you fired me and bought me out. I had to stay in the gang to have any chance of providing for my kids. And don’t say that I could have told you, or asked Alice for help, because you know damn well that you wouldn’t have listened to me, and that Alice helping me would have gotten her hurt. I did what I had to do for my family, and let my decisions fall as they may. And, now, I get the joy of doing that again. I get to come to work in the morning and I get to run the company with you because you feel bad for me, or you feel bad for Alice, and I get to reap the benefits of your guilt. Did you know that Alice has health insurance? Maybe now Jellybean can have her damn ear tubes replaced. If we get married, she can. Hell, Allie could afford to get it done now.” 

 

He shook his head. “It’s the same with your dad. Your parents could afford to get him treatments. I don’t even want to think of what would have happened had something like that happened to me while I was growing up. As it was he had me out on my ass the second I said boo the wrong way.” 

 

“I didn’t realize,” Fred said, once FP stopped to take a breath. “You never said anything.”

 

“Of course I never said anything,” he snapped. “Saying things never did me  _ any _ good. Why the hell would it have started to now?”

 

“We  _ have _ insurance--”

 

“It didn’t cover shit,” he said. “It was bullshit what you did. And then I find out that you’re starting shit with Allie and the kids and just...fuck, Fred. You were supposed to be my friend. You were supposed to care for her. Even if you couldn’t do that, you could have done right by the kids. How do you think it’s supposed to make me feel when I realize that the reason that the kids were always hanging around my shitbox trailer was because of you and Mary and not Hal Cooper?”

 

“How can you say that?”

 

“Pretty damn easily,” he snapped. “You think Jughead wanted to bring them around me? You think the boy wasn’t ashamed of his father, of our life?”

 

“I thought they were playing at Betty’s!”

 

“Yeah, right,” he said. “They definitely weren’t.” 

  
  



	22. everywhere, people stare, each and every day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Isn’t she just your step--”
> 
> “Shut up, Fred,” he snapped.

“What do you want me to say?” Fred asked. FP managed to openly resist rolling his eyes. “So, I screwed up. I’m only human.” 

 

“You can be a real dick, you know that, right?” He crossed his arms over his chest. He really needed another cigarette. “You did more than screw up, and if you don’t know that, you’re going to learn.” He scoffed. “First of all, thanks so much for the support when Jellybelly was in the damn Good Samaritan. I really appreciated how you didn’t even bother to ask if we wanted Jughead to stay with you when I had a wife in Riverdale General, and a very small infant several miles away, fighting for their lives. You were a real pal.”   
  


“Don’t be like that,” Fred replied. “By the time we offered, Alice had already taken him in.” 

 

“Yeah, because unlike you, she decided that what I didn’t need while working full time and dealing with all of that, was a needy child that didn’t understand why his sister had been born early and hadn’t come home. Let’s give Alice a gold medal for common sense. I think she should write a profile on how wise she was for the Register.” 

 

“Jellybean is fine, now, anyways,” he had the nerve to say, and it took all of FP’s self control not to punch him out. “So, what’s the big deal?”

 

“The big deal is that we were supposed to be best friends, Fred,” he said. “I could have used some time off to deal with my very sick daughter and my spiraling wife, or at the very least known that my child wasn’t living in a house with a man that hates me, but, you know? You’re right. What’s the big deal? Who cares that Jellybean is damn  _ lucky _ to be ‘fine’? Who  _ cares _ that every fucking second that Alice is pregnant I’m going to fucking worry about whether the baby coming early happens again?”

 

“I was so scared when Alice told me she was having our baby,” he admitted. “And when she ended up in the hospital. I was fucking terrified that things had gone horribly wrong and it was like a giant ass inconvenience to you and Mary. You don’t get it, and I’m not sure that you ever will. And, I can accept that. I can accept that the kids are friends, and I can accept that we work together, and that we aren’t best friends anymore, and probably haven’t been for a long time. That’s on me. That’s  _ our _ relationship.”

 

He lit another smoke, needing the moment to calm down before he did anything stupid. He didn’t want to get arrested because Fred was being the most annoying person that he’d ever met. He couldn’t do that to Alice or the kids. He  _ wouldn’t _ do that to them. 

 

“What I can’t accept is how you’re behaving towards the kids,” he said, his tone flat. “Yesterday at the mall? Not the first time you and your wife had completely discounted something that Betty had said. I don’t like that. It makes her feel like shit, and you get to get your kicks out of hurting my daughter and go home, but Allie and I have to deal with the aftermath. I would never behave that way around Archie. Ever.”

 

“Isn’t she just your step--”

 

“Shut up, Fred,” he snapped. “She’s not just anything. She wants to be my daughter, and I am fine with that. So why don’t you just get the hell out of here before I do something that I’ll regret? I’ll send Red home when I feel like it.” He cleared his throat. “By the way? You tell Mary, if I see her staring into Betty’s room again? I’ll call the damn cops. I might be a Serpent, but that shit doesn’t fly. Not with me. I’m a dad before I’m part of any damn gang.”

 

FP waited until Fred was safely back at his house before he headed back up the stairs, beyond annoyed at the fact that he’d had to subject himself to that level of insanity before breakfast, and he headed back into the house. He took off his jacket and boots and headed into the kitchen, where Alice was making breakfast for everyone. He’d offered to help before he’d gone out, but she’d insisted that she was alright, and could handle it. He dipped his head down to give her a kiss. 

 

“What took you so long?” She asked. “Where’d you go?”

 

“Fred tried to feed me some bullshit apology,” he groused, and he rolled his eyes. “I let him have it, Al. I am so tired of this shit.” His hands found their way to her belly, and he rubbed it carefully, as she wrapped her arms around him. “How are my girls this morning?”   
  


“Having a better morning than you are,” she said, her tone teasing. “We’re doing well. Someone feels like she’s glad to see you.” Her eyes twinkled, as the baby kicked. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”   
  


He shook his head. “Not really. It’s nothing important.” He shrugged. “I think that Jellybelly might need her ear tubes replaced,” he added. “You think that’s something we can afford?”

 

“Of course it is,” she told him. “Why don’t we make an appointment with Betty and Polly’s pediatrician for all of the kids, see what needs to be done?”

 

“You’d do that for me?”

 

“I’d do a lot of things for you, for our family, don’t you realize that?” 

 

“Yeah, I realize that, Al, but isn’t that a lot of money?” 

 

“It doesn’t matter how much money it is,” she said, after a moment of silence. “It’s never mattered about the money. I know that it’s hard for you to understand, but...it’s never been about the money.” 

 

“It wasn’t hard for me to understand,” he whispered. “I know what it was about. I always knew.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “Don’t worry about the past, Allie, we’re good. We’re gonna be okay.”

 

“I know we will be,” she said in reply. “I think we already are.” She sighed. “Would you like to tell me what you want to eat for breakfast?” 

 

“Whatever you’re making, babe, it’s fine with me,” he said. He leaned in so he could whisper into her ear. “I’d love to eat you.”   
  


“We can arrange for that, perhaps on a day when the children have school?” She smirked, tweaking his nipple through his shirt as she did. “I’m making pancakes. Betty and Jughead asked for them. Do you think you could help me make eggs?”

 

“Oh, I think I already helped you with that.” He kissed her. “Yeah, babe. You want me to fry potatoes too?”   
  


“That sounds good. Really good.” 

 

“Begonia wants them, doesn’t she?” Alice blushed a bright red. “Hey, babe, it’s cool. I think it’s amazing.” 

 

“You think my cravings are amazing?” She turned back to the stove to flip the pancakes. “Really?”

 

“Yeah, babe. I just want you and the baby to be okay. You know that, right?” 

 

“I know,” she said. She kissed him on the cheek. “You know that...what happened with Jellybean...it was a fluke, yeah? You know that chances are that everything will be okay with Begonia?”

 

“A fluke?” He scoffed. “You think it was a fluke that she wouldn’t stop doing drugs?” 

 

“Well, maybe not a fluke,” Alice allowed. “But, I’m not Gladys, and I’m not going to put the baby’s safety in jeopardy just because I miss the taste of a glass of wine. I’m certainly not going to start popping pills. I know what that was like for you, FP. Maybe not as intimately as you did, but I  _ know _ what you went through. I wouldn’t.” 

 

“I never thanked you, for taking Jug in,” he said. “For...everything you did. I should have.”

 

“I didn’t do it so you would be indebted to me,” she said. “I may not have been a Serpent anymore, but I wasn’t going to not help you when you were in need. You never needed to thank me, because I understood. We take care of our own.”   
  


“I know, Al--”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’m just glad that she’s alright.” 

 

“Me too,” he said. “Looks like she wants to see what we’re up to.” Jellybean had left the other kids behind in the living room, and had walked into the kitchen, dragging her blanket behind her. “Can I at least thank you for knitting that for her?”

 

“If you’d like,” she said, her tone smooth, as she wiped her hands on a tea towel and squatted down so she was level with Jellybean, who FP could see was hell bent on heading directly towards Alice, rather than him. “You don’t need to thank me for making my daughter a blanket. What are you up to, Jelly?” 

 

“Mama, up?” Jellybean questioned, and FP watched her tug on the hem of Alice’s apron. “I’m hungry.” 

 

“You don’t want Daddy to hold you?” 

 

“Babe, it’s fine,” he said. “If you think that she’s light enough for you to carry, you can. You’ve only done this four times.” Jellybean glanced between the two of them, a confused expression on her face. “You want me to carry you, Jellybelly? Or your mama?”

 

“Mama,” she said, her tone firm. It was clear to him that Jellybean thought Alice holding her was non-negotiable, regardless of her father’s potential fears. “My Mama.” 

 

“Okay, darling, I will,” Alice said. “Come up with Mama, we can set you up with a pancake while the rest of the food is cooking. Does that sound good?” Their little girl nodded. “I thought so. Mama will have one too, yeah? These are Jughead’s favorites, did you know that?” Jellybean was handed a pancake and promptly started to devour it, and FP couldn’t resist taking a picture of the two of them. “What are you doing?” Alice questioned. “I’m eating.” 

 

“You’re adorable,” he said. “Three of my girls, you, Jellybelly, and Little Bit.”

 

“You’re the adorable one,” she retorted. “I love you, Jones, you know that, right?”   
  


“I can’t wait until I can call you Jones in return.”

 

“Soon,” she promised. “What d’you think, Bean? You want Mama to be a Jones?”

 

“Pretty sure in her eyes you are a Jones already,” he said. “Pretty much are in my eyes, too.” Alice’s eyes lit up, and he knew it was the right thing to have said. “You know that, yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”

  
  
  
  



	23. we were just kids when we

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “17, yeah, we were just kids.”

“You’re not really Betty and Polly’s dad, are you?”

 

“Not biologically, no,” FP admitted, as he sat down beside Charles on the couch. “Does that bother you?”

 

“It’s alright, Dad, I’m just confused. Doesn’t he hate that Betty calls you dad?”

 

“He’s not their father, anymore,” he told him. “Signed away his rights. So it doesn’t really matter what he thinks about Betty wanting me to be her father. But you’re not wrong. He would hate it. Never liked me. And I’m not entirely convinced he was fond of your mother.” He shrugged his shoulders. “As far as I’m concerned, Betty and Polly are your full sisters, regardless of whether they look like me or not. And the same goes for Jughead and Jellybean. Their mother has issues too. Your mother doesn’t seem to mind stepping in. Begonia? She’s your full sister. But, like I said. Blood doesn’t matter to me.”

 

“What about Mom?”

 

“I don’t like to speak for your mother. She had enough of that with Hal. As far as I know, though, she feels the same way. She loves you, Charles. She didn’t want to give you up. It just...she thought you had a family.”

 

“I’m not mad at her,” he said. “You guys were young.”

 

“17, yeah, we were just kids.”

 

It was awkward to discuss the circumstances of his and Alice’s life with Charles, though he was forcing himself to because this was their son and he had a right to ask questions, to want to know what was what and how he related to it all. It was the least that he could do. It wasn’t fair to expect Alice to do all of the explaining. 

 

Speaking of. She walked into his field of sight, clad in one of her new dresses, which he thought nicely highlighted the small bump that he had become rather intimately familiar with. And it was paired with a ridiculously high pair of her fancy shoes. 

 

“What’s up?”

 

“I have to go into work,” she said. “You changed the locks at the Register, right? I’ll need a new key.”

 

“Got you covered, babe. You know you don’t have to…”

 

“Yeah, honey, I do. I can’t keep avoiding it forever.” She glanced over at Charles. “Do you want to come with me?”

 

“Your boss won’t mind?” Charles asked. 

 

“That would be me,” she said, and he saw the hint of pride on her face. “And, no, baby, I don’t mind.”

 

“Yeah, sure, Mom,” he said. “That would be cool.”

 

“You’ll be alright with the kids?” Alice asked. “If Charles and I go?”

 

“Yeah, babe, we’ll be fine. I’ll have dinner ready for you when you get home? Just tell me what you want, yeah?”

 

“I’ll text you,” she told him, as she leaned in for a kiss. He eagerly reciprocated, and he reached out to touch her belly, relieved when he felt Begonia in response. “We’ll be back soon. Don’t worry so much. I’ll have Charles with me.”

 

“Can’t help it, babe.” 

 

“I know.” She kissed him again. “Try to?”

 

“I’ll try,” he agreed. He removed his hand from her belly, though rather reluctantly. “Yeah, I’ll try.” 

 

“That’s all I ask for,” she said. “Come on, honey. I want to get back before it gets dark out.”

 

FP followed them to the door and watched as they drove away, painfully aware that he had a silent presence that had joined him. He was unsurprised to see that it was Betty. “You didn’t want to go?”

 

“She didn’t ask if I wanted to,” the younger girl said, a pout on her lips. “Just him.”

 

“I don’t think she meant anything by it, Betty,” he assured her. “She’s just excited to be in Charles’s life, that’s all.”

 

“What if Charles doesn’t want to be my brother anymore, now that he knows the truth?” Betty questioned, and he inwardly cringed. He hadn’t known that she had heard them. “You said that that stuff didn’t matter to you, but what if it matters to him? I mean Dad doesn’t want to be mine and Polly’s dad anymore, will Charles feel the same way? I don’t want him to be our dad anymore but I didn’t think he didn’t want us at all.”

 

“Betty,” he said, his tone gentle. “Charles isn’t gonna act like Hal did. I’m sorry that you heard that conversation. I didn’t think you were in the room. Didn’t you hear me say that I consider you to be my daughter?”

 

“Dad left though. I don’t want you to leave, too.”

 

“I’m not gonna leave. You’re stuck with me. Just because he did those things doesn’t mean that he did them because of you. There was something wrong with him. There is something wrong with him.” 

 

“You promise?” Betty asked, and she sniffled softly. “It wasn’t because I picked the baby over him? He made me choose. Mommy and the baby or him. I picked Mommy and the baby and that was when he started to choke her.”

 

“I didn’t know that. Listen, sweetheart. Your dad sucks, okay? I would never ask you to choose or lay a hand on you or your mom or anyone here. And I’m not gonna leave.” FP scooped Betty into his arms and carried her over to the couch, in order to sit her down beside him. “Your mom and I, we love you, Betty. I just think that she wants to spend some time with Charles because he’s had 16 years of  _ not _ knowing love, not knowing what it’s like to have a family. She wants him to know that he  _ does _ have a family, that she does love him, in spite of how he’s grown up.” 

 

“Will she still let me cuddle with her and say hi to Begonia?”

 

“Yeah, I’m sure she will,” he said. “Tonight, when they come home, I think it would be nice if you read to Jellybelly and Begonia. You think you’d like to?”

 

Betty nodded. “Yes, I like to read to Jellybean. Maybe Begonia will kick for me if I read to her.” 

 

“I bet she will,” he said. “Speaking of which, where  _ is _ Jellybean?”

 

“She’s with Polly and Cheryl,” Betty said, and she pouted. “And Archie and Jughead are at Archie’s house. They didn’t invite me. That’s okay,” she added. “Archie is frustrated because I can read and he can’t.”

 

“What are you talking about?” FP didn’t like that Jellybean was being exposed to Cheryl, but he wasn’t going to take her away from her sister due to his feelings on the subject, especially when he was slightly more concerned about the last part of Betty’s statement. “You mean he’s jealous because you’re a more advanced reader?”

 

“No, he can’t read at all,” she said. “Our teacher wants him to repeat second grade, but I think I’ll just teach him.” 

 

“Kiddo, that’s not your job,” he insisted. “That’s Fred and Mary’s job, or your teacher’s, or an adult in general’s. You don’t have to do that, Betty.” 

 

“I do if I want him to go to the next grade with me and Juggie,” she said. “It’s not fair, Daddy. Let me teach him. I’m a good teacher. Jellybelly can learn, too. And you and Mommy said that I could teach Begonia things, so why  _ can’t _ I teach Archie?”   
  


“What do his parents have to say about this?” 

 

Betty shrugged. “I don’t know, they make me mad, so I don’t want to talk to them. I don’t think Archie told them, anyways. He’s embarrassed. He doesn’t want people to know.”   
  


“I’m going to have to talk to your mother about this,” he said after a moment of thought. “Maybe she can...it doesn’t have to  _ all _ be on you, kid. Okay?”   
  


“Okay, Daddy,” she agreed. “Can I bring Jellybelly downstairs so we can play with her?”

 

“You want me to? I bet she’s getting hungry.” 

 

Betty giggled. “Probably. She eats a lot. Please go get her. I want to see her but I don’t want to be around Cheryl.”

 

“I figured as much,” he admitted. “I’ll be right back, okay?” 

 

“Okay. Can Jellybelly eat Goldfish?”

 

“Yeah, they’re her favorite snack. You wanna get some and you two can share? Why don’t you do that while I’m bringing her down?”

 

Betty skipped off into the kitchen and he went upstairs to get Jellybean, who was excitedly chattering at Polly and Cheryl when he came into the room, but seemed equally glad to see him, judging by how fast her eyes lit up, and how quickly she toddled over, arms outstretched. He scooped her up and pressed a kiss to her cheek, fully aware that he was losing his hardened, Serpent, edge, with how readily he had taken to given everyone in the house affection as of late. Honestly? FP really didn’t care. 

 

“Thanks for spending time with her,” he said, as he felt Jellybean stick her hands in his hair, causing it to stick up on end. “You have a good time, Belly Bean?” She nodded, as she laid her head on his chest. “Wanna say bye?”   
  


“Bye bye.” She offered the girls a wave. “No bye bye Dada?”   


“No, Daddy’s got you,” he said. “Gonna go have some fishies, okay?” Jellybean happily squealed. “Fishies with Betty.”   
  


“Betty?”

 

“Yeah,” he said. “Betty. She’s right downstairs.” 


	24. the rumors flew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Goldfishies!” Jellybean helpfully supplied, her eyes wide with anticipation, and she clapped her hands. “Want goldfishies please, Daddy!”

“I didn’t know what kind of goldfishies Jellybelly would want, so I got down all of them,” Betty announced, and FP just remained grateful that they were still in their containers, and not strewn all over Alice’s floor, or in a giant bowl. “I know that  _ Mommy _ likes some of them because of Begonia,” she added. “But I don’t know if Jellybean likes them too, or if just Begonia? I asked Mommy why Begonia was making her eat foods that she doesn’t normally eat when, and she told me that Begonia was strong-willed. She wasn’t Begonia then, though. We didn’t even know that she was my little sister yet.”

 

“Your mom talked about Begonia before I came home?” 

 

“Yeah, she told me all sorts of stuff,” she supplied. “I wanted to know. It made her happy. Hi, Jellybelly!” Betty had noticed the toddler in his arms, and she reached out for her. “Does she want me to hold her? Is that okay?”

 

“She seems to,” he assured her. “Totally fine. I don’t mind you holding the Bean.” 

 

He carefully handed Jellybean to Betty, who wrapped her arms around her. “I love you, Jellybean,” she said. “You’re getting so big.”   
  


“She is, isn’t she?” Betty nodded. “That’s a good thing.” 

 

“I know,” she said. “I remember when she was super little and Juggie had to stay with us and Mommy said that that was because Jellybelly needed you to make sure that she was okay, and getting big, and that Mommy was helping because we take care of our own. I didn’t know what that meant but she said she would tell me when I was older.” She scrunched up her nose. “It just made me sad that Jellybelly was so sick and that Mr. Andrews was  _ mean _ to you, I know because Mommy was  _ super _ mad when she heard that you got fired, I thought that meant that you got like a really good tan, but when I told her she went next door and started screaming.” 

 

“Did she?”

 

“Yes,” she confirmed. “She said that she didn’t know what Mr. Andrews was playing at but she was just as much of a snake as you were and she said a bunch of stuff that I probably can’t say, I don’t think most of it was very appropriate. She turned bright red when she found out I heard.” 

 

Was it wrong that he was amused? Probably. “Well, you know your mom,” he said. “She can be very passionate at times. It’s one of the things I love about her.”

 

“I love her too,” Betty said. “You love Mommy, Jellybelly?” 

 

The little girl nodded. “Love Mama,” she babbled, and she grinned at first Betty, and then at FP. “Mama gone?”

 

“No, Jellybelly,” she whispered, her tone soothing, as Jellybean’s grin turned into a pout. “She just went to work, but, she’ll be home soon. Tomorrow you and Mommy get to go to work together, while Juggie and me go to school. It will be so fun.”

 

This explanation of Alice’s whereabouts seemed to satisfy his toddler, who was content to give her sister a kiss on the cheek in response. 

 

“You want to go back to school?” He asked, as he ran his hand through his hair. “You don’t think it will be a problem with your arm?”

 

“I don’t think so,” Betty said. “Juggie and Archie will be there anyways. I like school.” 

 

“Okay,” he said. “As long as you know that your mom or I, we’d come get you, if you wanted us to.”

 

“I know.” She kissed Jellybean on the cheek. “Will you help me figure out what goldfish to eat with Jellybelly?”

 

“Goldfishies!” Jellybean helpfully supplied, her eyes wide with anticipation, and she clapped her hands. “Want  _ goldfishies _ please, Daddy!”

 

“Don’t worry,” he told her. “You’ll get some. I just -- what ones does Mom like, Betty?” 

 

“Why?” 

 

“So you and Bean can have the others,” he said. “Do you know?”   
  


“Uh-huh,” Betty said. “The ranch ones are her favorite, I think. But she also likes the cheeseburger ones, I think Begonia likes them more, Mommy says that she thinks she takes after you because you like cheeseburgers.” 

 

“I do like cheeseburgers,” he agreed. “What do you say, Jellybelly? You want some pizza goldfishies?” Jellybean nodded eagerly. FP grinned. “You wanna be a good girl and share with Betty?”   
  


“Yeah, Betty,” she happily agreed. 

 

“That’s my good girl,” he cooed. Jellybean giggled. “You think Daddy’s funny, pretty lady?”

 

“You  _ are _ funny,” Betty said. “Will you eat with us?”

 

“Yeah, of course,” he said. “I don’t mind eating with you guys. I’m glad you and Jellybelly are getting along so well.”

 

“Maybe she remembers me from before she moved? I used to like visiting her and Juggie, you would always let me hold her and cuddle her and give her bottles,” she recounted. “I always had fun there.”

 

“You thought that was fun?” Betty nodded. “Oh. I never realized you liked doing that stuff.” 

 

The thing was was that Gladys had decided that working at her...well, he had  _ thought _ she was working at Pop’s, but who the hell knows where she was working, it didn’t matter. She had thought that that was more important than taking care of either of their children, leaving FP to be the essential sole caretaker to two, adorable, yet needy, children. And, well, he had maybe taken advantage of the fact that Betty had been there for playdates with Jughead and curious about the baby, and he had maybe allowed her to take care of Jellybean, more out of necessity than because he’d thought she’d like it. To find out that she hadn’t minded did ease some of his guilt. Not all of it, but, some.   
  


“Why do you think I offered?” Betty questioned. “I love Jellybean. Mommy and I prayed for her every day when she was little little. I was so glad when she came home. I love you so much, Jelly,” she continued. “You’re a super awesome sister.”   
  


FP didn’t know how much of that Jellybean fully understood, but, she lit up with excitement nonetheless, and gave Betty another kiss. 

 

“You’d still like to do that?” He questioned. “Giving her bottles and stuff?”

 

“Duh,” Betty said. “She’s not super little anymore, but, Mommy says that she still needs to take naps and drink all of her formula and make sure that she’s healthy, so she can be happy. I want to help.”

 

“Yeah, she’s right,” he said. “You can help, if you want.” He patted the couch beside him, as he opened up the bag of crackers. “Wanna come to Daddy, Jellybean?” 

 

Jellybean’s eyes grew comically wide as he popped a handful of goldfish in his mouth, and she made grabby hands in his direction. “Goldfishies mine!” 

 

“Technically, they’re Mama’s,” he pointed out, his tone teasing. “You think they’re yours? You’re very cute, Jellybean, but, very wrong.”

 

“Daddy, share!”

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll share with you,” he said soothingly, as she vaulted herself into his arms, and indulged him while he held her close. “Daddy missed you, you know that, right? Missed you and your brother so much.” She kissed him noisily on the cheek. “I’m so glad that you’re back home with me, with our family.” 

 

“I’m glad that they’re back home, too,” Betty said, as she joined them on the couch, and snuggled close to him. He tugged her onto his lap to sit beside Jellybean, who was happy to mow on the bag of crackers. “She likes them, look.”

 

“Yeah, she sure does.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“Why, hello, cutie,” Alice said to Jellybean when she walked into the living room to find both Betty and FP soundly asleep on the couch, while Jellybean was both wide awake and taking advantage of her sleeping father to eat her way through at least one bag of goldfish. She couldn’t help but smile. Jellybean smiled back, and waved happily at her. “What are you doing while Daddy naps?” 

 

“Goldfishies!” She exclaimed, and Alice smiled. “Mama, goldfishies.”

 

“I see that,” she said. “Come here to Mama.” 

 

She reached out and carefully lifted Jellybean into her arms, and received a kiss for her troubles. “Can you say Charles, baby?”   
  


“Aw, Mom, she doesn’t have to,” he said. “She’s real little. We’ve only barely met.”   
  


“Hi!” Jellybean (whom Alice suspected didn’t like to be told what to do) chirped at Charles, and she brandished the bag of crackers at him. “Fishies, Chars.”

 

“You want to share with your brother? What a good girl.” 

 

“Are you sure?” Charles asked Jellybean, his tone cautious. “You don’t have to share with me, it’s cool.” 

 

“No, honey, she wants to,” she assured him. “Did you want to hold her?”   
  


“I don’t know how, Mom. I’ve never held a baby before.”   
  


“Not a baby,” Jellybean insisted, though she reached her arms out for him. “I’m big.” 

 

“It’s alright, honey,” Alice said. “If you want to, I will absolutely help you. I’ll show you how.” 

 

Charles nodded, his bangs getting in his eyes, and she brought Jellybean over closer to him, and positioned her so that she was safely in his arms. Though his hold on her was hesitant, at first, the little girl was less so, and Alice felt herself start to well up when Jellybean wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. She drew in a deep breath in an attempt to compose herself. She was feeling rather emotionally overwrought. 

 

Not in a bad way. She wasn’t upset about the recent developments in her life, with the possible exception of having to deal with Cheryl in her home. 

 

It was just hard for her to think about what Charles had gone through. It made her sad. He was her son, and the Sisters had just discarded him like he was garbage. 

 

“Do you mind if I take your picture?” Alice asked, as she reached for her digital camera. “Charles? Is that alright?”

 

“It’s fine, Mom,” he said, as he bounced Jellybean carefully, causing her to laugh loudly. “I think she likes me,” he said, sounding marvelled. “She’s so cute.” 

 

“Yeah, she is cute,” Alice agreed. “Did you have a good time today,” she asked. “I’m sorry it wasn’t very fun. We didn’t really do much.”   
  


“I got to spend time with you,” he said. “It was fine.” 

 

“Tomorrow, we’ll see about you going to school, okay? I don’t know what they taught you at the Sisters, but...having an education is very important to me,” she informed him. “We’ll see what they can do for you at Riverdale High, okay?” 

 

Charles nodded. “I can always just get my GED.” 

 

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” she told him. “I just...I want to give you every shot I possibly can, at least going forward.” 

 

“I know, Mom.”   
  


Alice didn’t know if she would ever be able to forgive herself for what had happened to Charles, and she didn’t know if she  _ wanted _ to be able to forgive herself. All she knew was that he had been failed, and she felt partially to blame. Maybe it was irrational to blame herself, but, well, she couldn’t help it. 

 

“She seems to like you,” she commented, as Jellybean had laid her head on Charles’s chest, and looked rather drowsy. “I think she’s starting to fall asleep. I can take her, if you want?”

 

“Should you be carrying her? With the baby and all?”   
  


“I was going to join them on the couch,” she admitted, as she pursed her lips at the state of her living room. “You’re more than welcome to join us.”   
  


“When you sit down, I’ll hand her to you,” Charles offered. “And, no, Mom, that’s okay. I think I’d like to go to my room for a little bit. You should relax with Dad and Betty, and Jellybean.” 

 

“Okay, honey.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “When dinner’s ready, I’ll text you.” 

 

“Cool.” 

 

Alice sat down on the couch beside her snoring fiance, and she ran her fingers through his hair, before she slipped out of her heels. True to his word, Charles brought Jellybean over to her, and she snuggled her close, watching her eyelids droop. 

 

“Thank you, honey.”

 

“You’re welcome, Mom.” He leaned over and gave her a hug. Alice hugged him back. “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.”


	25. i'd do anything for love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Few more months and there’ll be another one to nap with,” he murmured, as he stroked her bump. “God, Alice, you are amazing. The fact that you’re growing our daughter…? Just...wow.”

“You okay?” FP asked Alice, his tone soft, as he watched her undress and ready herself for bed, wondering just how well she was handling all of the change that had happened for them so recently, and all at once. “How are you feeling, babe?” 

 

“Overwhelmed,” she said, as she slipped on the boxers she’d commandeered from him back in his trailer, and the t-shirt that he had considered throwing away before she had decided his cast-offs were worthy of elevating to actual clothes, though since they were pajamas, he guessed that they weren’t  _ really _ clothing items. “Not in a bad way, though,” she elaborated, as she touched the spot on her cast that Charles had signed, before she let her hair out of the clip it had been in for the greater part of the day. “I’m  _ really _ happy. It’s just  _ so _ much.”

 

“You weren’t anticipating gaining a teenager and Cheryl Blossom in one day?” He questioned, his tone teasing, and she offered him a slight smile. “Come ‘ere, babe,” he beckoned. “You’re amazing, you know that, right?”

 

Alice crawled into bed beside him, and he pressed a kiss to her broken arm, wishing that that was enough to make her feel better, before he pressed a kiss to her lips. He loved Alice like this -- when she was comfortable enough to drop all of her many personas, and just be herself -- and he was glad that she felt comfortable enough around him not to put on any airs. If there was a soft underbelly to be found on FP, it was the woman he loved, and their growing family. Not that he would ever be foolish enough to  _ admit _ that there was a soft underbelly on him. He just...felt he did a terrible job of hiding it. 

 

“You really think I’m amazing?” Alice asked, as she curled herself against him, and he wrapped his arm around her. “Yeah?”

 

“You’re the most amazing girl I know,” he whispered. “I love you, Al. You, Begonia, Charles, everything. I never thought I’d get to meet him, and, well, now I get to be his dad, and not just some  _ loser _ who got his biological mom pregnant, like I’m sure I would have been viewed at if he’d been given up.”   
  


“I picked a family out for him,” she said. “They probably would have been good parents. I wrote him a letter. I told him about you. I never said anything bad.”

 

“You really picked out a family?” 

 

She nodded. “I wanted to keep him,” she whispered. “So badly. He’s our son. I just didn’t know how to raise a baby, FP. I was barely old enough to raise myself. I didn’t want him to grow up hating me...hating you...hating how selfish I was if I kept him. So, even though it killed me, I picked a family for him. I even  _ met _ them. They seemed really nice.”

 

“Allie…” 

 

“I thought I was doing the right thing.” 

 

“I know, Al,” he assured her. “How were you supposed to know any different? You said yourself, you picked a family.” He ran his hands down her sides, and settled them on her belly. “You really wrote about me in the letter?” 

 

She nodded. “Yes, of course. You were his father. I wanted him to know about you, about both of us. That’s what he deserved. I never…”

 

“You two have a good time today?” He asked. He was curious about how their trip to the Register had gone, anyways, and he was hopeful that asking would distract her from fixating on how things had gone wrong for their firstborn. “He gonna become a journalist?”

 

“I think so,” she said. “I had a good time, at least. Charles told me that he did. It was nice.” She sniffled. “What about you? Did the kids behave?” 

 

“Betty was a little upset that she wasn’t invited to go with the two of you,” he admitted. “But I explained that you and Charles needed to get to know each other, and then she wanted to spend time with me and Jellybellybean. I think she really likes her.” 

 

“They’re very cute together,” she agreed. “I think that the feeling is mutual.” 

 

“I’m sorry that dinner wasn’t ready when you came home,” he added. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep with the girls. It just happened.”

 

“Don’t be sorry.” She kissed him lightly. “I thought you were cute. Daddy and his daughters.” 

 

“Few more months and there’ll be another one to nap with,” he murmured, as he stroked her bump. “God, Alice, you are amazing. The fact that you’re growing our daughter…? Just...wow.”

 

FP was trying his hardest not to be overly neurotic during Alice’s pregnancy. He knew logically that Jughead and Jellybean’s issues had stemmed from Gladys and her behaviors during pregnancy, and not anything that he’d done, but he was frankly terrified. He didn’t want anything to happen to Begonia, or Alice. They were both very important to him, two of the most important things of his life. He didn’t want the baby to come early and have to stay in the NICU like Jellybean had. That had been the most frightening time of his life. He’d turned to the bottle in an attempt to cope, and he didn’t want to go through it again. 

 

“What’s wrong?” 

 

“Nothing, babe.” He kissed the top of her head. “Betty was telling me that she was overdue?”

 

“All three of them were,” Alice told him. “Begonia probably will be, too.”

 

“And they were all okay?” 

 

She nodded. “Yeah, Jonesy. They were all very healthy. Betty did, however, come  _ incredibly _ fast. I didn’t even have time to get an epidural. Hal even missed it.”

 

“Did you mind Hal missing it?” 

 

“Of course not,” she said. “I would, however, mind  _ you _ missing it, when it’s Miss Begonia’s turn.”

 

He captured her lips in his. “Don’t worry, babe. I won’t let you out of my sight when you get any  _ signs _ of being close to that point.” 

 

“You’re going to be my shadow?” 

 

“Gotta make sure I’m there for my girls.” 

 

“You’re so sweet,” she said, as she tugged the blankets over them, and burrowed herself closer to him, clearly in search of his body heat. “Something tells me that Betty will appreciate you helping her out with her role as my doting follower.” 

 

“She’s just excited, babe.” 

 

“I know,” she whispered. “I’m excited, too. Begonia is very exciting to me.”

 

“She’s exciting to me, too.” 

  
  


***

  
  


The alarm blared entirely too soon for Alice, who wanted nothing more than to spend the early morning hours curled up in FPs arms, wrapped up in their pile of blankets, but, alas, Elizabeth had insisted on wanting to go to school. More pressingly, at least for her hitting snooze and falling back to sleep for a few, blissful, moments, she heard the sounds of her baby girl giggling loudly and felt her side of the bed dip slightly as she joined them in bed. Beside her, FP simply snored. 

 

“Elizabeth, what are you doing up?” She demanded, her tone hushed. “I certainly hope you don’t think that I’m getting up right away.” 

 

She blearily peered in the direction of the giggles, surprised when she saw the blurry shapes of Jellybean  _ and _ Jughead as well. Betty looked damn proud of herself. 

 

“Mama sleepy,” Jellybean declared, rather loudly, and Alice had to agree with her sentiment. “I sleepy too.”

 

“Come here, darling,” Alice beckoned. “We can sleep for a little bit longer. Elizabeth, do you and Jughead care to join us?”

 

“Are you sure, Mommy?” Betty questioned. “I thought you’d be awake.” 

 

“I would be,” she agreed, as she yawned. “But, today, I thought that I’d let you skip the before school program, and get hot lunch.” 

 

“Really???” Betty sounded delighted. 

 

“Yes,” she said. “If you let me sleep for a little bit longer.” 

 

“You really don’t mind me cuddling with you?” Jughead asked. 

 

“No, darling, of course not. You’re more than welcomed to.” Jellybean had taken Alice’s invitation to snuggle with her in her stride, and the little girl had already wedged herself in between her and FP, who had moved to accommodate their toddler. She was snoring softly. Much to her surprise, it was Jughead who curled up beside her, while Betty scrambled across the foot of the bed to snuggle close to her father. “You know that you don’t have to go to school today, right? You can just go back after Christmas break?” 

 

“Are you  _ sure _ that we don’t have to, Mommy?” Betty questioned. “You’ll really let us stay home?”

 

“I think it would make the most sense,” she said. “You do have your doctor’s note, and Jughead can just be re-enrolled after the break.” 

 

Most importantly, Alice could shut off the alarm and get some much needed sleep. FP didn’t start up at Fred’s until after the school’s Christmas vacation was over (she got the suspicion that Fred was feeling guilty, as he had informed FP that he was willing to pay him double time for his vacation, and she was more than willing to exploit that guilt), and, as for her? She could work whenever she wanted to. 

 

“What about Polly and Cheryl?” Jughead asked. 

 

“I’ll bring them to school,” FP murmured. “The rest of you should just relax.” 

 

“They can walk,” Alice decided. “I have to go to the bathroom, anyways. I will inform them of this.” 

 

Polly agreed to walk to school (and force Cheryl to go) without complaint. After Alice was done in the bathroom, she returned to her bedroom, and crawled back into her spot, taking great care not to wake either Jellybean or Jughead. It was obvious they needed their rest. She needed her rest, too. She tenderly kissed Jughead on the cheek, followed by Jellybean, and she leaned over FP to kiss Betty as well. She saved her husband for last. 

 

“I love you, babe,” FP yawned. “Gonna make it a family day?”

 

“That sounds nice,” she whispered. “Go back to sleep.” 

 

He ghosted his hand down her side, and she snuggled closer to him, her grin growing as he patted her belly. “Sleepy time, Begonia,” he mumbled. “Just for a little bit longer. Mama and I, we’re tired.” 

 

“Mama’s exhausted,” she confirmed. “Need  _ lots  _ more sleep to function.” 

 

She heard him chuckle. “You heard your mom,” he whispered. “Keep sleeping and Daddy will read you a book when it’s time to get up.” 

 

“You’d do that for her?” 

 

“Yeah, Al, I’d do everything for her. For you. For them.”

  
  



	26. somewhere alone in the bitterness and

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Everyone’s sleeping,” Jellybean said, as she pouted, clearly disappointed that her attempts to wake everyone else up had only succeeded in waking her mom and dad. “Why?”

“Mama, Mama, Mama,” Alice heard Jellybean chirp insistently in her ear, and she forced herself to open her eyes, gaze locking on a blurry form that she identified as her toddler, who was petting her hair and chattering in her direction. She smiled at the little one, as she prayed that they had actually managed to sleep longer. “My Mama,” she added, her tone satisfied. 

 

“Hi, Jellybelly,” she whispered. “You don’t want to go back to bed?” 

 

Beside her, FP snored, his arm draped protectively over her middle. Jellybean shook her head. “Play with me,” she demanded. “Bottle?”

 

“Oh, all right,” she agreed. “I think that I can fix you a nice bottle, and then we can lay on the couch together, and watch Sesame Street, maybe?” Secretly, Alice hoped to fall back to sleep. “Poor Daddy, sound asleep. He’s missing out, isn’t he?” 

 

“Dada up?” The fact that FP was still asleep had clearly escaped Jellybean’s notice prior to Alice’s statement, and the toddler crawled across her legs to reach her father, and climbed up onto his back, giggling madly the entire time. “Dada, up!” 

 

“Five more minutes, baby,” FP murmured, and she reached up and ruffled his hair. 

 

“That was Jellybelly, not me,” she informed him. “Time to get up, Daddy.” 

 

“Why are you awake?” He questioned the little girl, who simply giggled in response, the little pigtails that Alice had put her hair in the night before bouncing. “You hungry?”   
  


“Goldfishies?” 

 

“No, Jellybelly,” she whispered. “You can have a bottle, and something healthy to eat. We can have goldfishies later.” 

 

“You don’t have to get up,” FP told her, as he pressed a kiss to her lips, and then to her belly. “It’s okay, I can handle Jellybelly.” 

 

“No, I want to,” she said, having noticed that Jellybean’s enthusiasm had dimmed when he had suggested that she stay in bed. As much as she wanted to, she didn’t want to upset her daughter. That was what Jellybean was to her, after all. She and Jughead were just as much her children as Betty and Polly were. “I like spending time with her.” 

 

“Mama,” Jellybean said in response, and she pulled her onto her lap. “Is she playing?” 

 

“Who? The baby?” 

 

“Yes, baby sister.” Alice stifled a yawn. Begonia was miraculously still sleeping, but it was cute that Jellybean wanted to play with her, so she was torn. “Still sleepy?”

 

“I’m sure she’ll be awake soon,” she assured her. “You know she can’t resist you and your daddy. Do you mind if Daddy brings you downstairs?” It was true that Alice could (and would) carry Jellybean around the house. Jellybean was small for her age (though not as small as she had been), and Alice wasn’t  _ that _ pregnant, she could lift up a sixteen month old. It was just that she was exhausted and she didn’t want to accidentally drop Jellybean or anything due to her exhaustion. Jellybean seemed to be pondering the fact that Begonia was still sleeping, as she was hesitantly hovering her hand above Alice’s bump. “Come ‘ere, darling,” she beckoned. “I’m sorry that Begonia’s still asleep, Jellybean.” She pressed a kiss on her cheek. “I know you like to play with her.” 

 

“Love baby sister.” 

 

“I know, sweetheart.” Alice wrapped her arms around her, and she pressed a kiss to Jellybean’s cheek. “She loves you, too.” 

 

“Everyone’s sleeping,” Jellybean said, as she pouted, clearly disappointed that her attempts to wake everyone else up had only succeeded in waking her mom and dad. “Why?”

 

“They’re silly, aren’t they, Jellybelly?” FP said, his voice husky, as he reached his arms out for her. “Can I get a hug?” 

 

“Dada.” She wriggled out of Alice’s arms and into FP’s, and Alice took advantage of the lack of attention to reach over Jughead to grab her eyeglasses from the bedside table, and slip them on. “Love you, Dada.” 

 

“I love you, too, Jellybelly,” he whispered. “Come on, we can go downstairs. You want to walk, or you want me to carry you?” 

 

“Up, Dada,” she insisted. 

 

Alice leaned over and gave him a kiss. “You heard her, she wants up.” She grinned, pleased when Jellybean grinned back at her. She was glad that the little girl was willing to put up with her presence in her life, as she had been very scared that Jellybean was going to reject her, as she  _ was _ her shiny, new, pregnant, stepmother. At least with Jughead she had the history of him being Elizabeth’s friend, and they weren’t starting entirely from scratch, while with Jellybean, though Alice had met her, she doubted highly that the baby was capable of remembering her. “You’re a good girl, Jelly,” she said, and she reached over and tickled her belly through her blanket sleeper. 

 

Jellybean let out an excited squeal, and she excitedly clapped her hands. 

 

“Come on, baby girls,” FP said, and he reached out and rubbed Alice’s bump. “Let’s go downstairs before we wake up Jughead and Betty.”

  
  


***

  
  


“You don’t have to stay up with us, babe,” FP said, shooting Alice an apologetic look, as she sat at the kitchen table, and sipped at a cup of tea, while Jellybean sat in his arms, making fast work of the bottle he had prepared for her when they’d come downstairs, as she’d chattered an excited chant for goldfish the entire time. “I get that you’re tired, you can go back to bed, if you want. Jellybean will understand.” 

 

“I don’t mind staying up with the two of you,” Alice told him. “Besides, Charles and I have to go to Riverdale High at some point today, and I would prefer to get it over with as early as possible. Principal Weatherbee continues to treat me as if I am the juvenile delinquent I was during the time he was our teacher. I find dealing with his attitude to be taxing.” 

 

“You should wear your jacket, babe,” he suggested, a smirk on his lips. “Bet the Bee will get a damn thrill out of his walk down memory lane. Maybe I ought to come with you?” 

 

“What will we do about the kids?” Alice asked him, as she slipped her feet onto his lap, and he idly began to rub them with his free hand, the other still supporting Jellybean. “I mean, I’m tempted, don’t get me wrong,” she admitted. “I just...should we bring them with us?” 

 

“I bet Betty and Jughead will get a kick out of seeing a real, live, high school,” he pointed out. “Plus, Al, Betty wants to be included in this kind of shit. I think that she’s still trying to figure out where her place is in this family,” he admitted. He took a sip of his coffee. “I keep telling her that she’s my daughter, that that bastard being her biological father doesn’t matter, will never matter, but she’s still...I don’t know if she’s afraid that she’s being replaced, or that...well, honestly, I don’t know. I just know that she was asking me if I thought that her not being Charles’ full sibling would matter to him,” he sighed. “I don’t want her to think that she’s being iced out, you know?”

 

“I didn’t know that she was worried about that,” Alice said. “Why  _ is _ she worried about that?”

 

“If I had to hazard a guess? It probably has something to do with how suddenly her life changed, Alice,” he said. “Your husband tried to kill you, Al, in this very house, and I am pretty sure that Betty thought that he  _ did _ kill you, before she ran to get help, and don’t get me started on those  _ idiots _ we live next door to, because I honestly want to knock their heads together for the fact that she has that  _ damn _ broken arm because of them. So suddenly I’m here and we’re living in my shitbox of a trailer together, and she was trying to process that, and then the whole disaster with Gladys...the kids, you know, having to come back here, I don’t know, Allie. I wish I could make her see that I’m not going to be like that jackass who couldn’t give two shits about either of his kids, or about you.”

 

“I think she knows, honey,” she whispered. “It’s just...she’s really that upset that Hal signed away his rights? Why?”

 

“Because, despite everything, she’s a kid, and he’s her father,” he sighed. “I’m not mad at her, because I get it, Alice. I remember wanting Senior to give a flying fuck about me, too, not that he ever did. But, Al, I know that she loves me,” he added. “It’s okay. I just wanted to let you know, because she’s our kid, and I want her to be happy.” 

 

“I...I know, Jonesy. I just don’t know how to make things better for her. It’s not like we can all fit in the trailer, otherwise I would say that we could just go back, I really wouldn’t mind living there. I just mind living there with all of these people.” 

 

“I was thinking, would it help if we redid the basement? I think that Fred owes us, wouldn’t you say? He could help me fix it up real nice, and Betty could help us design it? Maybe?”

 

“It would help me,” she whispered. “I don’t think I can go down there. I know it’s stupid, but I can’t.”   
  


“That’s not stupid, Alice. I don’t think that’s stupid.”   


“You promise?” 

 

“Yeah, Allie, I promise,” he said, and he reached out to squeeze her hand. “I promise, babe, that I’m all in. With you, with the kids, with whatever you’ve got going on in that pretty little head of yours. You don’t have to worry.”

 

“I’m sorry,” she sniffled. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I just -- I never -- are you sure I deserve that?” 

 

“You deserve the world, babe. You always have.” 

 

“Mama sad?” Jellybean piped up, clearly having finished her bottle and noticed Alice crying. “No sad, Mama?”

 

“I’m okay, baby,” she insisted. “Can I hold her?”

 

“Yeah, of course,” he said. “Come on, Jellybellybean. Mama wants to cuddle with you.” 

 


	27. we found love right where we are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mommy?” Betty’s voice chimed in, and Alice glanced over in the direction that it came from. “I woke up, and you were gone. Are you okay?”

“What are you doing, Jellybelly?” Alice asked the little girl, who had settled nicely on her lap, her hands pressed firmly on her belly, clearly on a mission to ensure that the baby would wake up sooner, rather than later. “Trying to wake up your sister?”

 

Jellybean nodded, her pigtails bouncing. “‘Gonia no up yet?” 

 

“I think she’s waking up,” she told her. “I bet that Daddy could wake her for you, if you want. He’s good at that.” 

 

“How?” She asked, her eyes filled with curiosity. “Dada, how?” 

 

“She likes when I kiss her,” FP offered. “Talk to her, butter her up, you know, I have a way with the ladies.” He grinned. Alice rolled her eyes. “Want me to show you, Bean?” 

 

“Kissy me,” she insisted, nodding eagerly. “Show me, so I can.” 

 

“Course, darling,” he said, and he dropped a kiss on Alice’s forehead, before pressing one to Jellybean’s cheek. “Daddy will show you. This is something you can definitely do.” It was clear to Alice that FP’s claims that Jellybean was capable of kissing her belly had made the toddler rather ecstatic. “Like this, Jellybelly.” Alice smiled at him as he lifted up her top to expose her abdomen, and she reached out and stroked his hair as he nestled his head on her belly. “Hey, Begonia,” he cooed. “Wanna get up? It’s time to play.” He kissed her belly gently, and Alice felt a gentle nudge in response.    
  


Jellybean was eying them curiously. “My turn,” she insisted, and she planted an open-mouthed kiss where FP been. “Hi sissy,” she said, and she kissed her again. “She  _ kicked _ me.” 

 

“She knows you want her to play with you,” Alice said, as Jellybean stared down at her bump with awe, and the baby kicked -- hard -- against her hands. “You okay, sweetie?”

 

“She kicks a lot,” she said. 

 

“She does, doesn’t she? She knows who you are, she’s excited that you’re playing with her.” 

 

Jellybean beamed, and babbled happily at Alice’s belly, which Begonia responded to in kind, nudging and kicking in response. She smiled up at FP, well aware that she had lost her time as the focus of Jellybean’s attention. 

 

“Think she knows what’s happening,” he murmured, before he kissed her. “She seems to be enjoying herself.” 

 

“Begonia is enjoying herself, too,” she informed him. “She’s very active.” She kissed him again. “Would you mind getting me a coffee?” 

 

“Of course not, babe.” He ruffled Jellybean’s hair. “I’m glad you like your sister, Jellybellybean.” 

 

“Of course she does. She’s a good girl, aren’t you, baby?” Alice grinned down at her, and she smiled back. “Begonia is very lucky to have you as her sister.”

 

“Love you, Mama,” she chirped. “She kicks!”

 

“Yeah, she’s kicking, you’re right,” she agreed, allowing Jellybean to take her hand in hers and press them both on her belly. It was clear to Alice that the little girl was proud of her newfound ability to wake up her sister, and she didn’t want to discourage that by pointing out that she could already feel the baby kick. “You did a good job waking her up, sweetheart.” 

 

“Mommy?” Betty’s voice chimed in, and Alice glanced over in the direction that it came from. “I woke up, and you were gone. Are you okay?”   
  


“I’m fine, sweetheart,” she assured her, and she waved her over to where they sat. “Jellybean just couldn’t sleep, and Jonesy and I didn’t want to wake you.”

 

“Hi, Jellybean,” Betty said. “Mommy, I was really worried,” she insisted. 

 

“I know you were, honey, but, I promise, I’m fine. Nothing is wrong with me, or your sister. I swear to you. You want to come up and sit with Jellybean and me?”

 

“Can we cuddle on the couch?” 

 

Alice exchanged a glance with FP over Betty’s head. “Sure, sweetie, we can cuddle on the couch. Do you want to walk with Betty over to the couch, Jellybelly?” 

 

Jellybean nodded, and she reached out for her older sister. “Jelly up?”   
  


“Jelly--”

 

“I can carry her, Mommy,” Betty insisted. “It’s okay.” 

 

“Alright,” she decided. “Your father and I, we’ll be out in a minute, okay? Why don’t you turn on the television, and you and Jellybean can have breakfast out there? What would you like?”   
  


“Waffles,” Betty said after a moment of thought. “You want waffles, Jelly?” 

 

“Yes, please.” 

 

“Alright,” she said. “Waffles is fine.” 

 

“What about you, Mommy? What are you going to eat?” 

 

“I think we’ll all have waffles,” she said, and she pressed a kiss to the top of Betty’s head. “Go ahead,” she soothed. “Jelly’s show is starting.”

  
  


***

  
  


“I am assuming that that is an example of what you’re talking about?” Alice asked him, and FP nodded, not wanting her to have a meltdown over his sobriety-induced observation skills. “I don’t know how much longer I can stand it,” she admitted. “I thought it was cute, at first, but…” 

 

“Maybe they need to see someone, Al,” he suggested. “Not just Betty, all of them. A shrink, or something. Just until they learn how to process things.”

 

“Do you think that will help?” 

 

“Couldn’t hurt, babe, now could it?” He ran his hands down her back. “Not the worst thing in the world to need help, to want to fix things. I wish that I had fixed things sooner, maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe I would have been sober and you could have just moved out and Hal wouldn’t have tried to kill you and Jughead wouldn’t have been babysitting his baby sister. I wish that he hadn’t hurt you, Alice,” he said. “I would have never wished this on you, or the girls.”

 

“She’s seen him hit me before,” she said, after a moment. “You can’t seriously think that was the first time, that he’d hurt me? That he’d tried to put me in my place? I wish that it had been, that he had just snapped, and that it wasn’t just banally typical of him. But that would be a lie. And I promised that I wouldn’t lie to you anymore.” 

 

“He hurt them?”

 

“I don’t think so,” she said. “They were his children, that he thought that he could mold in his image, they were perfect little Cooper girls. I was the one that was out of line, that could never do anything right. At least not when it came to him.”

 

“You know that I don’t expect you to be perfect, Al, right? I love you for who you are, and I don’t want you to think that’s ever going to change. We’re equals, here, okay? You’re my fiancee, and I will always love you, no matter what you think of yourself.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “The girls don’t have to be perfect, either. Hell knows I never was.”

 

“If he did hurt them, I didn’t know about it,” she added. “God, how the hell did things get so fucked up? I just wanted to be a good mother.” 

 

“You are a good mother, Allie,” he said, and he wrapped his arms around her, as she nestled her head against his chest. “You are the best mother in the universe,” he murmured. “You know that you, and those girls, are the best additions to mine, and the kids’ lives, you know that, right? So is Begonia. So, I don’t want you to doubt for a minute that you’re a good mom, Alice, because you are the best mother I know. It’s not your fault that you can’t fix all of the kids’ problems.” 

 

“You promise?” 

 

“Yeah, Al, I promise.” 

 

“Will you eat waffles with me and the girls?” Her gaze was hopeful, though he could see the tears in her eyes, and he nodded. “You will? Thank you, baby.”   
  


“You know me,” he said. “If it’s edible, I’ll eat it. Don’t have to ask me twice.” 

 

Alice grinned. “Your child has inherited that trait of yours, Mr. Jones. She seems quite happy to see how she can get away with expanding my diet on her behalf.”   
  


“Mmm, does she now?” FP asked. Alice’s bump was pressed against him, and he could feel that their daughter was kicking away. “What shall we do about that?” 

 

“I’ve just been indulging her,” she said. “You know, I don’t see the harm.”

  
  



	28. i like coffee and i like tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Elizabeth!” Alice interjected. “For Heaven’s sake, this is not about what you want. I am trying to mitigate the damage that your idiot father did to you when he tried to kill me, okay? It has nothing to do with not wanting you to spend time with me or you wanting to do things to help me with the baby. Life isn’t always fair. I understand that you don’t want to go, okay? I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to do.”

Alice had presented the concept of therapy to  _ all  _ of the children that resided in her home (with the exception of Jellybean, who had delightedly agreed with the decree, nonetheless) as a mandatory requirement, and, when they had agreed with minimal complaints, had considered it a job well done. There was no need for childish fighting, not in Alice’s house. She was more than relieved that it had gone so smoothly. 

 

“What is it, Elizabeth?” 

 

“You said that it was okay to go to grown ups with our problems, because they could help us, right? That’s why you’re making us talk to the therapist?”   
  


“Yes, sweetheart,” she agreed, and she patted the spot on the bed beside her, pleased when Betty scrambled up to sit beside her, her palms gravitating to her belly, which was exposed to the air due to the fact that she was clad only in a sports bra and a pair of FP’s boxers. She had been planning on taking a nap when Betty had come in, and she wondered if she’d like to join her. “You can still talk to me though, and to FP. There’s just been a lot of changes all at once, you know? But you can still talk to us.”

 

“It’s not about me, Mommy,” she said, as she nestled her head against the slight swell that protruded from Alice’s abdomen, which looked more and more like a baby bump each day. “It’s about Archie.”   
  


Few sentences filled Alice with dread with such effectiveness, and she managed to bite back the sigh that threatened to escape her lips at the mention of the boy next door’s name. What the hell had the child done now? 

 

“What about Archie?”

 

“Daddy said that it was a problem for grownups when I told him, but I didn’t think so at the time,” Betty told her. Alice raised her brows. “I mean, it didn’t seem like such a big deal. You know?”   
  


“What didn’t seem like such a big deal?” 

 

“He doesn’t know how to read,” Betty said. “I told him that I would teach him, because I don’t want to have him stay back, but--”   
  


“That isn’t your job, Elizabeth.” 

 

“I know, Mommy, but Mr. and Mrs. Andrews don’t care,” she insisted. “They didn’t say anything when Archie told them. Someone has to. I don’t want him to be sent back to repeat second grade.”   
  


“That is troublesome,” she agreed, as Betty focused on her baby sister, and carefully kissed her belly. It was nice that she loved the baby. Begonia seemed to love her, too. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll help Archibald learn how to read.” It was burdensome to do so, but Alice was not amused by the fact that his parents seemed to be content to let him fail an  _ entire _ grade instead of teaching him how to read themselves. “That behavior is not appropriate.” 

 

“You’ll really help him?” Betty gazed at her with wide eyes. Alice found herself nodding. “Oh, Mommy, you’re the best. I bet Begonia will find that fun.”

 

“What makes you think that?” Alice asked, as she rubbed her belly. “You really think that I’m the best, and that she’ll find it fun?”

 

“Of course I think you’re the bestest, Mommy,” Betty insisted, and Alice smiled down at her as she wrapped her arms around her. “You’re my mommy, duh. And I think Begonia will find it fun because being right makes you happy, so why wouldn’t being right and helping him make her happy? Plus maybe I can be there with you and then I could cuddle with you and make sure that she’s not lonely. Maybe Archie will feel her kick! She’d love that.” 

 

“You really like Archie that much?” Alice asked, trying not to look outwardly repulsed at the thought of Betty inviting him to feel the baby. “That you’d want him to feel your little sister?”   
  


“Uh-huh,” she murmured. “I think Begonia is the bestest, just like you. Why are you in bed?”   
  


“I was thinking of taking a nap,” she told her. “Jellybean woke me up much sooner than I had planned.” 

 

“May I nap with you?” Betty asked. 

 

“Of course, sweetie. I’d like that a lot.” 

 

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to anymore,” she admitted, as she curled up under the blankets. 

 

“Why wouldn’t I?”

 

“Because of what you said earlier,” she muttered. “I don’t  _ want _ to go have to go to therapy, Mommy. I don’t want to talk about what happened to  _ anyone _ and you and Daddy said I had to, and that’s not fair. I thought that you liked me doing things with you and Begonia, you said I didn’t have to stop, and--”

 

“Elizabeth!” Alice interjected. “For Heaven’s sake, this is not about what you want. I am trying to mitigate the damage that your idiot father did to you when he tried to kill me, okay? It has nothing to do with not wanting you to spend time with me or you wanting to do things to help me with the baby. Life isn’t always fair. I understand that you don’t want to go, okay? I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to do.” 

 

“Forget it,” Betty said. “I don’t want to take the time off school and I don’t want to nap with you or spend the night in your room if you’re just going to make me see some doctor over it.” She shook her head. “Why don’t you just put me in time out if I’ve been bad?”

 

“This isn’t about you being bad, Elizabeth,” she whispered. “This is to help you, and I don’t want you to think that you can’t come to me or to FP for comfort if you’re scared. That was never my intention.”

 

“I don’t want anyone to know,” Betty insisted. “I don’t want Archie to know.” 

 

“He doesn’t need to know,” she assured her. “Not unless you want to tell him.”

 

“You promise that I can still nap with you, and spend time with Begonia? And Jellybean?”

 

“Yes, sweetheart, of course.” 

 

Betty snuggled closer to her, and she let her wrap her arms around her. “What about Daddy?”

 

“You can still spend time with him, too,” she whispered. “I know he’d like that.” 

 

“Okay,” she mumbled. “Can we sleep now, Mommy?” 

 

Alice had thought she would never ask. “Of course we can,” she said. “Begonia is less of a fan of that plan than I am, but, it’s alright. Hopefully she’ll tire herself out.” 

 

“I can sing her a lullaby?” Betty offered. “Or Daddy could? He told me that he used to be in a band.” 

 

“We both were,” she said, a fond smile twitching at her lips as she remembered the Fred Heads. “Tell you what? Why don’t you go downstairs and ask him if he’ll join us?”   
  


 

***

  
  


FP had come to the conclusion that he had only tolerated children’s television before Jughead and Jellybean had left because he had been in a state of perpetual drunkenness. 

 

It  _ had _ to be the only explanation, because he was sure that he’d seen the program that was on the television in front of him many times in his old shitbox trailer, and he had  _ never _ had such a hatred for the group of creepy dinosaurs before. 

 

He wondered if Alice would notice if the television happened to have a mysterious accident. 

 

FP really hated the television show that Jellybean and Charles had settled on, but that was probably because he was a full grown adult and not either a toddler who thought the shows were the best things ever, nor a teenager who was experiencing television for the first time, so he stayed mum, silently contemplating the merits of canceling cable. He suspected Alice would be annoyed if he killed her television packages because he hated that fucking purple dinosaur, but he had to admit was tempting him. 

 

“Are you watching TV with them, Daddy?” Betty piped up, and he glanced over the arm of the couch to see her standing there, an inquisitive gaze on her face. “Mommy and I were wondering if you wanted to nap with us.” 

 

“I’d love to nap with you and your mother,” he said, and he grinned as she leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I don’t think your brother and sister will mind, will you?” He directed the comment at Charles. Jellybean was entranced by the television  _ and _ the reason that Alice needed a nap, so he didn’t want to ask her and potentially cause a fit. 

 

“Nah, Dad, it’s cool,” Charles said. “Jelly and I don’t mind.” 

 

“All right,” he said. “We’re gonna be upstairs, okay, Jug? Do you want to join us?” 

 

Jughead shrugged. “I might come up later,” he said. “This chapter’s getting really good.” 

 

“Okay,” he said, as he stood up, allowing Betty to clasp his hand in hers, and he grinned down at the little girl whom he was already starting to think of as his own. “What’s up, Princess?”

 

“Do you got your guitar?” Betty asked him, her eyes filled with hope. “Mommy said that she would like it if you would sing Begonia a lullaby. I think she’s tired, but Begonia definitely isn’t. She wants to play.”

 

“Of course I have my guitar,” he told her. “I’d love to sing to you and the munchkin.” 

 

“I’d like that, too,” she said. “Mommy said that she would help Archie learn how to read,” she added. “She turned really purple when I told her that he didn’t know how.” 

 

“See? I told you that you didn’t need to do it on your own.”

 

“I know that,” she chided. He felt her squeeze his hand tighter. “I don’t want to go to therapy.” 

 

“Why not?” 

 

“I don’t want to talk about what happened,” she whispered. “Everyone will know then.” 

 

“Can I tell you something?” FP asked her, and he sat down on the stairs that led up to the second flood, and pulled her onto his lap, setting his guitar down beside them. “I wasn’t on a business trip, Betty. Your mother told you that because I didn’t want you and Polly to know what had happened to me because I was embarrassed about it. To be honest, I still am. I was in rehab, Betty. I have a problem with drinking, and your mother sent me there so that I could sober up and be a good parent to all of you. It was a condition that I had to meet in order to be in your sister’s life.” He examined his fingernails as he tried to collect his thoughts. “At the rehabilitation center, I had to start seeing a therapist,” he said. “I didn’t want to do it either, but I wanted to try to fix myself so that I could be a father to Begonia, to all of you. So I wouldn’t have to constantly drink to try to feel better.” 

 

“Did it really help you?” Betty asked, her tone contemplative. She shifted in his lap and looked up at him. “You’re okay, right?” 

 

“Yeah,” he said. “It helped. And, if it will make you feel better, I don’t mind going again.”

 

“You don’t?” 

 

“No, not if it will help you,” he said. “You’re my daughter. I’d do anything for you.” 

 

“I think it would,” she admitted. “If you’re really sure.”

 

“Yeah, Betty, I’m sure.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “For now, though, why don’t we go back to your mom, yeah? I’ll sing to you and the baby, and then we can go nap together?”    
  


“That sounds good,” she said. “Maybe Begonia fell asleep for Mommy.” 

 

“She could have,” he agreed. “You really think she did?”

 

Betty shook her head. “No, probably not. I don’t think she likes being told what to do.” 

 

“Want me to carry you up?” 

 

“You can really carry me  _ and _ the guitar at the same time?”   
  


“Sure I can, Betts.” He grabbed the guitar’s strap, and his little girl, and he started up the stairs, pleased when Betty let out an excited shriek. He was just glad to cheer her up a bit. “I love you, you know that, right?” 

 

“I love you, too,” she giggled. “You’re a good daddy.” 

  
  



	29. it's been a long cold lonely winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yes, I want to hear you sing,” Betty insisted. “Will you teach me how to play?”
> 
>  
> 
> “When your arm’s all healed up, okay?” FP told her, and Alice smiled at him, as Betty beamed. “I promise, I will teach you everything I know.”

“You came back,” Alice said, and she reached her arms out for Betty, pleased when she cuddled close to her, and she pressed a kiss to her cheek, before beckoning for FP. “You brought your guitar?”

 

“Yeah,” he said. “Betty asked me to.” He climbed up onto the bed. “You don’t mind, do you?”   
  


“No, of course not,” she said. “Betty and I, we’d love to hear you play for us.” She smiled encouragingly at him. “So would the baby.” As if on cue, Begonia kicked. Alice rubbed the spot where she was favoring with a smile. “This little lady is saying hi.”

 

“Yeah?” He asked. She nodded. “Shouldn’t she be getting ready for her nap?”

 

“That’s where you come in,” she told him. “Hopefully, I mean, if you don’t calm her down, that’s totally fine. I really just want you to sing for me, and the girls.” 

 

“Hey in there, pretty girl,” FP said, as he stretched out on their bed and cradled her belly with his arms. “Daddy knows that you’re having fun in there, that you want to play. You think maybe you can give Mama a chance to rest? It’s hard work, growing you.” She reached down and ruffled his hair. “Daddy’s gonna sing you some songs, okay?”

 

“More than one?” Betty asked, as she wriggled closer to her. 

 

“Yeah, why not,” he said. “Is that okay?”

 

“Yes, I want to hear you sing,” Betty insisted. “Will you teach me how to play?”

 

“When your arm’s all healed up, okay?” FP told her, and Alice smiled at him, as Betty beamed. “I promise, I will teach you everything I know.” 

 

“Okay,” she said. “You should try to get Begonia to go to sleep so Mommy can sleep before Cheryl and Polly come home.” 

 

“Yeah, I know,” he said. “You want to nap with me and your mom?”

 

“I already told her she could,” Alice said. “You don’t mind?”   
  


He gave her a kiss, and his fingers made their way through her hair. “Yeah, course it’s fine. I know how much Betty likes napping with us.”

  
  


***

  
  


“You do?” Betty asked, as he watched her cuddle closer to Alice, her hands on the baby bump, and he nodded. “I do love napping with you.”

 

“I know, princess. You’re more than welcome to.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss of her own. “What are you and your sister up to?”   
  


“She’s kicking,” she informed him. “I thought cuddling with her would make her want to go to sleep, but I think she likes it.” 

 

FP grinned. He thought that Betty’s adoration for her mother and for the baby that was on the way was the most adorable thing that he’d ever seen, and he was grateful that he got the opportunity to see it. It was clear to him (and he thought to Alice, as well) that their second grader was taking to her assigned role of big sister (to both the baby that was on the way and the very real, present, little sister she now had in Jellybean) with gusto. He thought it was sweet. 

 

“Want me to tell you something?” 

 

Betty nodded. “Yeah, what do you want to tell me?”   
  


“Begonia, she doesn’t like to go to sleep when I cuddle with your mom either,” he told her. “I think that it means that she likes us too much.”

 

“That makes sense,” Betty decided. “She must know that she’s safe around us. She started kicking super hard when you came home.”

 

“You okay with that?” 

 

She nodded. “I wouldn’t have wanted her to kick while my dad was still here,” she said, after a moment of thought. “He probably would have gotten madder and hurt her and Mommy, I’m sad enough that he hurt Mommy, I wouldn’t have wanted him to hurt her. Mommy, that’s why I went to the hospital with you. I was scared he  _ had _ hurt Begonia.” 

 

“I know, Elizabeth,” Alice said, and he glanced up at her. “I understand why you wanted to go with me, and that’s why I didn’t protest you coming along. That doesn’t mean that FP and I still aren’t irritated and disappointed in Fred and Mary’s behavior that evening.”

 

“Only then?”

 

“Oh, I’m pretty much constantly disappointed in their behavior lately,” she told her. “Especially when you tell me this business with Archibald?” FP could practically hear the eye roll in Alice’s tone, though he was impressed with her ability to maintain a poker face. “I don’t care if you are misinterpreting their actions, I cannot fathom a second grader not knowing how to read at all. If  I wasn’t so exhausted I would put a stop to that insanity right this instant.” 

 

“Babe, think of how much more fearsome you’ll be if you’re not yawning every three seconds,” he teased, as he kissed her once more, his hand joining Betty’s on her belly. “I don’t think they’re home, anyways,” he added. “Why waste your big entrance on an empty house?” 

 

“That is true,” she agreed. “Come on. Sing to us. See if it will calm her down.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“I want up,” an insistent voice demanded, directly in Alice’s ear, and she slowly opened her eyes, noting Jellybean’s presence by her side of the bed. “Mama?” 

 

“What are you doing up here?” Alice questioned, as she slowly lifted the toddler up, and sat her on the bed, getting a pleased giggle in response to her her efforts. “I thought you and your big brothers were watching television?”

 

Beside her in bed, FP snored, his head buried under a pillow, and the noise caught Jellybean’s attention, her curiosity piqued. She herself sat up in bed, propping herself up with her pillows, and watched as the little girl crawled across her mattress, clearly intent on disturbing the two sleeping occupants. While Alice would normally protest, she felt refreshed from her nap, and she thought that Jellybean was more than allowed to wake the non-pregnant people in the room, given her proclivity to wake up the pregnant one. 

 

“Jellybean? Where are you?” Alice heard Charles say from a distance, and she gave the toddler a look. 

 

“She’s in here,” she said in reply, wanting to put him at ease. The last thing Alice wanted was for the son that had been raised in an orphanage to think that he was going to be in trouble for a child’s natural curiosity. “It’s all right, Charles, she’s here with me.” 

 

She heard footsteps running down the hall, and Charles’s head popped into the bedroom, an expression of panicked guilt on his face. Jellybean (the reason for the expression) simply waved at him, grinning widely, as she started to climb FP, who continued to snore. 

 

“I’m sorry, Mom,” he said. “She wanted to see you. I couldn’t stop her.” 

 

“Don’t be sorry,” she insisted. “It’s okay, she’s just a baby, she wants to see her parents. It’s totally fine.”

 

“I’m a big girl,” Jellybean informed them. “Not a baby. Gonia the baby.” 

 

“Of course she is,” she soothed. “You’re her big sister.” 

 

“Dada’s sleepin’,” she announced with a pout. “Dada up, now.” 

 

“You don’t want to let Daddy sleep and cuddle with me?” Alice asked. “Or we can go back downstairs with your brother and watch more television with Charles and Jughead?” 

 

Beside her, FP stirred. “‘s fine, babe,” he mumbled. “I’m up. What are you doing, Forsythia Jones?” 

 

“I climb you,” she informed him, her tone pleased. “You were sleepin’.” 

 

“Yeah, kid, I was sleeping,” he said. “Thought you wouldn’t notice me being gone,” he admitted. “I’m sorry, Jellybean. I just wanted to nap with Mama and the baby, and Betty. You’d made it very clear that you weren’t tired,” he added. “Did that change?” 

 

“Not tired, Daddy.” 

 

“Jellybean?” Alice heard Betty say, her daughter sounding like she’d just woken up, probably because she had. “Can I get a hug?” 

  
  



	30. the last time we talked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No,” she insisted. “Snowball get bwoken if I throw.”

“Daddy, Uncle Fred,” Jellybean insisted, as she toddled across the sidewalk that was in front of their steps, clearly delighted to have spotted the other man and clearly oblivious to the fact that there was a reason she had seen less of his next door neighbor since she’d moved in next door to him than when she’d been living in the trailer park. 

 

“Just ignore him, Bellybean,” he told her, and he squatted down to her level, getting a pleased reaction out of the little girl. “Daddy brought you out to play in the snow, not to socially interact.” 

 

At the mention of snow, she giggled loudly, and clapped her hands. It had snowed quite a bit the previous evening, and FP had taken it upon himself to start shoveling out the house when Jellybean had woken him at an ungodly early hour, rationalizing that he could be both productive and distract her at the same time. Though she had protested about the thought of leaving Alice and the little one (Begonia certainly did enjoy kicking for her big sister), the promise of getting to wear her new snowsuit and play with the pretty white powder had been incentive enough to coax the toddler out of the bed with him and down the stairs. 

 

He hadn’t been anticipating seeing Fred, however, nor Jellybean’s knack for recognizing people that he really wished she didn’t want to acknowledge. 

 

“Dada, snowball fight?” 

 

“You want to have a snowball fight?” He gazed at her questioningly, and she nodded eagerly, her grin wide. “Where did you get an idea like that?” 

 

“Polly,” she replied. “She said I’m too little.” 

 

FP got a wicked idea. It was probably wrong to exploit Jellybean’s desire to be like her older siblings and participate in snowball fights, and he normally wouldn’t have done so, but he was in a relatively decent mood, and saw a chance to indulge both his baser instincts and her desire to engage with Fred. Alice would probably lecture him when she found out. He’d probably deserve it. 

 

However. Jellybean wanted a snowball fight and FP wanted to pound Fred and throwing a snowball at him? Was a perfectly socially acceptable thing. 

 

“You’re not too little,” he told her, and she squealed excitedly, throwing herself against him and knocking him on his ass. Thankfully, the snow cushioned his fall. “I didn’t even finish my sentence, Jellybelly.” 

 

“Snowball,” she trilled, as she pressed her snow-soaked palms to his face, her mittens having been left in the house. “Play snowballs.”

 

“Yes, we’re gonna play snowballs,” he agreed, and he puckered his lips for a kiss, pleased when she obliged him. “Want to play snowballs with Uncle Fred?”

 

Jellybean clapped her hands. “Yes, Dada.” 

 

“You can help me build a snowball,” he told her, as he settled her on his lap. “Then we can throw it at him. Okay?”

 

Jellybean shook her head. “No. I give to him.”

 

“You don’t want to throw it?” 

 

“No,” she insisted. “Snowball get  _ bwoken  _ if I throw.” 

 

FP bit back a sigh. “Alright,” he said. “We can give the snowball to Uncle Fred. Is that really what you want?”

 

“We can give to Mama?” 

 

“No, Jells,” he insisted. “We can’t bring Mama a snowball. She’s sleeping. She can see the snow later, okay?”

 

“Okay,” she told him. “She and Munchies sleepy?”

 

“Yeah, darling, they’re sleepy. Munchies needs Mama to get her rest so she can grow and be big and strong. We want that, yeah?”

 

Jellybean nodded. “Like me?” 

 

“Yeah, Jellybean,” he whispered, and he held her close, trying not to choke up. “Big and strong, just like you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, clearly pleased to be given love. “You love Munchies, don’t you?” Munchkin had been too difficult for Jellybean to say, so she had deemed the little one growing inside of Alice Munchies, much to FP’s amusement. “Munchies loves you.”

 

“I know,” she chirped. “Mama say so.” 

 

He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Come on, pretty princess,” he said. “Let’s go give your snowball to Uncle Fred before it melts.” 

 

“You gonna come too, Dada?” 

 

“Course,” he said, and he shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t see why not, you know? You want me to carry you? Or do you want to walk?” 

 

“I walk,” she insisted, and he stood, letting her take his hand, as she clutched the snowball to her chest. 

 

He was doing this for Jellybean, he reminded himself. Jellybean who had already gone through so much and who was too little to understand why he and her new mother were mad at Fred and Mary and Jellybean who was his baby girl and just wanted to say hi to Uncle Fred, whom she had probably missed when she was out in Toledo. He couldn’t bring himself to upset her. No matter how angry he was at Fred.

 

“Uncle Fred!” Jellybean said excitedly, as they approached where Fred was shoveling snow. “I gotted you this.” 

 

“Jellybean brought you a present,” FP said, as he took care to make his voice seem threatening to Fred and informative to the little girl, who was proudly presenting the snowball to him. “Wasn’t it nice of her to make that for you?” 

 

“It’s a snowball,” she told him. “Here.” 

 

“Thank you, Jellybean,” Fred said. “That was very kind of you.” 

 

Jellybean beamed, and she tugged on the leg of FP’s snow-pants, clearly wanting to be picked up. He lifted her up with ease. “What do you say to Uncle Fred, sweetheart?” 

 

“You welcome,” she said, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I go sleepy with Munchie, Daddy?”

 

“Aw, Jells,” he said. “I gotta finish shoveling.” 

 

“It’s all right,” Fred told him. “I can handle it. You take care of your girl.” 

 

“You serious?” 

 

“Yeah,” Fred said. “I’ll handle mine, and yours. Spend the morning with the kids and Alice. Don’t worry about it.” 

 

FP hesitantly nodded, but only because he could feel that Jellybean’s energy was fading, and she was his priority. He really didn’t see the harm in leaving things to Fred. He owed him that much. 

 

“Fine with me,” he said, his tone gruff. “Come on, Bellyjelly, let’s say goodbye to Uncle Fred, okay?” 

 

“Bye-bye.”

 

FP brought Jellybean back into the the house as quickly as he possibly could. He didn’t want to miss the moment of exhaustion she seemed to be having. He changed her out of her her snowsuit, relieved when she didn’t need to be changed, and could remain in the blanket sleeper that she had worn to bed. He shucked off his snowboots and outerwear by the coat closet, and he carried her upstairs. The bedroom was as he’d left it. The shades were down, the lights were off, and Alice was sprawled across the bed, peacefully soundly asleep. 

 

“Mama?” Jellybean’s tone was hopeful. He placed her on the bed, while he stripped down to his boxers and a t-shirt. “No up?”

 

Alice stirred. He cringed. “Jellybean, keep your voice down,” he whispered. “We don’t want to wake her up. Not when we’re just going back to bed.” 

 

This explanation seemed to make sense to his toddler, and he sighed with relief. 

 

Alice simply moved over in bed, and promptly resumed her snoring. At least there was now room for him and their daughter. He slipped into bed beside Jellybean, and he tugged the blankets over them, pleased when she cuddled up with Alice. He knew that that ran the risk of the baby waking up, but he didn’t think that Alice would mind. Jellybean would be fine. 

 

“Night, Jelly,” he whispered. “Sweet dreams.”

 

“Wuv you.” 

 

He choked back the lump in his throat. “I love you, too.” 

  
  
  


***

  
  


“Hey, Jellybelly,” Alice whispered softly, as she stroked the toddler’s hair, pleased that she was snuggled up with her, soundly asleep, and she smiled as she snuggled closer. “Aren’t you the most darling girl ever?”

 

“Morning, babe,” FP said, and he leaned over to give her a kiss. “Jellybean and I had an exciting morning.” 

 

“Is that what you call sleeping in? Exciting?”

 

Begonia had woken Alice up with a well placed kick to her ribs, and she had decided to indulge the little girl’s whims, especially when she’d realized it wasn’t some hideously early hour. She reached out for FP’s hand and pressed it to her belly, pleased at the nudge they got in response. He kissed her again. 

 

“Nah, babe,” he whispered. “Jelly and I, we went outside for a little bit,” he admitted. “We played in the snow. I tired her out.” 

 

“When did this happen?” Alice demanded. 

 

“Like...6 AM,” he said, after a moment of thought. “She wanted to wake up you and the baby, but, I distracted her by pointing out how much it snowed last night, and she decided that the snow was way more exciting than you and her Munchies.” 

 

She giggled. “Well, myself and the baby appreciate the snow for that,” she said, and she kissed him again. “You know that you are the best fiance ever? You’re so good to me.” 

 

“I love you, Al,” he murmured. “I hope that I’m always good to you. That I never make you feel like you’re less than.” He rubbed at her belly. “I love you, yeah? I love her, and you are my everything.” 

 

“I love you, too,” she whispered. “Did you actually get any shoveling done?”   
  


“Conned Fred into it,” he said. “I wanted to chuck snowballs at him. Jellybean wanted them to be a present.”

 

“No bwoken snowballs,” Jellybean sleepily insisted, her voice muffled by her position relative to Alice’s bump, and she reached out to run her fingers through her hair, pleased that the little one was awake. “Mama?”   
  


“Yes, darling, I”m here,” she said. “You feel Munchies?” 

 

“Munchies’ playing,” she giggled, and Alice shifted so that Jellybean could better feel the baby, who was indeed kicking about in there, though Alice thought that the toddler’s playing assessment was slightly more accurate, given the little one’s proclivity for rolling around. “I love her,” she continued. Alice smiled.

 

“Yes, sweetie, I know you love Munchies.” 

 

It was true. Alice knew that the toddler adored the baby, and wanted to dote on her. Whether it was because she was modeling what she’d seen FP do, or because she’d seen Betty interacting with the baby, Jellybean had taken it upon herself to become little Begonia’s closest companion. Not that Alice minded. 

 

She was glad that Jellybean wanted to be close to her little sister, instead of being jealous of her. 

 

“Love Mama,” she bubbled, as she crawled up to give her a hug. 

 

“I love you, too,” she said, and she cuddled her close, taking her into her arms. She smiled down at her, before she glanced over at FP, who was watching them contently, his eyes starting to droop. “Oh, no you don’t.” 

 

“No sleeping, Dada,” Jellybean insisted. “Mama up.” 

 

She laughed, which caused Jellybean to light up. “Yes, exactly, Mama is up. You can’t be sleeping.” 

 

“Well, all right,” FP said, and he sat up in bed beside her, and pulled her close. “I suppose that the two of you make a good point. I certainly don’t want to miss any of the fun.” 

 

“Like what, Jonesy?” 

 

“Jellybean thinks that you are the most amazing person in the world,” he said. “She’s constantly talking you up. She thinks you and Begonia are the best things ever.” She felt him kiss the top of her head. “I don’t exactly disagree with that assessment. I think that you’re wonderful.”

 

“And the baby?” 

 

“I think she’s wonderful, too.” She felt him caress her baby bump, the baby obliging her father with lazy flips. “She’s so precious,” he whispered. “I can’t believe that she’s doing so well.” 

 

“Are you worried because of what happened with Jellybean?” Alice asked. It hurt that FP could think she was capable of doing the things that Gladys had done while she was pregnant, but the rational part of her couldn’t blame him for being concerned for their daughter. “I’m not going to do anything that will harm her,” she said. “I swear to you.” 

 

“I know, Allie. It’s just a little scary, that’s all.”

 

“I know,” she said, as she ran her fingers through his beard. “It’s okay, I get it.” 

 

“I don’t want to be scared,” he said. “It’s just...you’d tell me if you felt weird, right? No matter what you were doing or what time it was?”   
  


“Of course,” she assured him. 

 

“They told me that if she had come in sooner they could have stopped the contractions,” he said after a moment. “She told me that she hadn’t wanted to leave work because she was getting good tips that day. I would have done anything for her, to make sure that Jellybean was okay, to make sure that things would have gone as well as they could. She never mentioned having contractions or anything to me until she’d had the baby.”

 

“I didn’t realize that you didn’t know,” Alice admitted. 

 

“She only called me once it became impossible to hide that the baby was there,” he said. “And poor Jellybean, she must have been all alone and scared in that ambulance,” he rambled, while Alice was grateful that said child had been lulled back to sleep. “It’s my biggest regret. Not being there for her when she was first born.” 

  
  



	31. nothing left to lose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty considered this. She did have to agree that if being angry was bad for Begonia, she definitely didn’t think that it was good for her mom to be angry. And she really wasn’t that mad at Mr. Andrews. He had upset her, but not as much as Mrs. Andrews had. She tucked herself against Alice and held tightly to her apron.

“What are you doing?” Betty asked her mom curiously, as she eyed the cooling baked goods on the counter with hungry eyes. “Is Begonia making you have cravings?”

 

“They’re for Fred,” she said softly. “Well, some of them. The rest the baby wanted.” 

 

“Why are you making him cupcakes?” 

 

“I’m tired of being angry,” she said after a moment. “It’s not good for the baby, it stresses me out. And I don’t want you and your siblings feeling like you can’t be Archibald’s friend because of some, petty grudge I have because he screwed up. We’re human, Elizabeth. We all make mistakes.” 

 

Betty considered this. She did have to agree that if being angry was bad for Begonia, she definitely didn’t think that it was good for her mom to be angry. And she really wasn’t that mad at Mr. Andrews. He had upset her, but not as much as Mrs. Andrews had. She tucked herself against Alice and held tightly to her apron. 

 

“Can I still be mad at Mrs. Andrews?” She asked her quietly. “I don’t mind if you and Daddy are friends with Mr. Andrews again, I guess. I don’t want to go over there without you and I don’t want to be around her, but, I guess you can give him cupcakes. I’d rather you forgave him than let it make Begonia upset.” 

 

“That’s my good girl.” 

 

“Do you need any help?” Betty asked. 

 

“Why don’t you go see what your father is doing?” She suggested. “Where is he, anyways?” 

 

“Polly and Cheryl got into a fight,” she informed her, “and Daddy said if they were going to keep at it he was going to have to separate them,” she recounted, her tone practically gleeful. “Cheryl said that was fine she wanted to live in the basement. I don’t want to go down there with them, Mommy. I know that it’s not scary anymore but I’d rather be with you.”

 

“I might call your grandparents,” her mother said. “Perhaps they can deal with Cheryl. I certainly don’t want to.”

 

“But she’s Polly’s friend,” she whispered. “Didn’t Grandma and Grandpa send you to the scary place to have Charles? I don’t want them to send Cheryl back there, even if she’s mean.” 

 

“You do have a point,” she said. “All right, honey, listen. Why don’t you go out to the living room and spend some time with your brothers and sister, okay?”

 

“Charles said he had to study, Mommy,” she reported. “For some test? I dunno. I could spend time with Juggie and Jelly, though,” she agreed. “Will you bring out some food for us when it’s ready?” 

 

“Yes, sweetie, of course,” she said. “Give your sister a kiss?” 

 

Betty pressed her lips against her mother’s growing belly, and she giggled when she felt the baby kick in response. “I love you, Begonia,” she whispered, and she dared to kiss her again. “I’ll see you in a little bit.” 

 

“Of course you will, I’ll be right out. Just give me a couple minutes.” 

 

Betty was always willing to please her mother, even when she wasn’t pregnant, so it made sense for her to desire to do so now. She hugged her gently, and patted her bump, before she skipped from the kitchen and through the dining room into the living room. Jellybean was wrapped in Jughead’s arms, and he was reading to her, which made her feel like an intruder. She didn’t want to bother them. 

 

Still. Her mom  _ had _ asked if she would go spend time with them. 

 

“Can I sit with you?” Betty asked Jughead softly, her gaze downcast. She didn’t want to force him to agree. “It’s okay if you don’t want me to.”   
  


Betty thought this was a perfectly sound point of view, but she hadn’t anticipated Jellybean having noticed her. The little girl reached out in her direction. 

 

“I don’t mind,” Jughead said. “I don’t think Jellybean does, either. You want Betty to stay with us, Jells?” 

 

Betty beamed, as Jellybean giggled. “Please?” 

 

“Of course, Jelly,” she agreed. “What are we reading?”

 

“Books!” She happily supplied. “I cuddle.” Jellybean settled herself on her lap, and she stuck her pacifier back in her mouth, sucking on it furiously as she held her close. Jughead continued to read the book out loud. 

 

It was nice reading with Jughead. She had missed him so much. 

 

“I’m glad you came back,” she said, once he had finished the book. “I knew that you and Jellybelly were going to be like my sister and brother but your mom was so mad that I didn’t know if we were ever going to see you again,” she rambled. “Even though we have to live here, it’s okay because it means that I get to see you all the time. You  _ and _ Jellybelly.” Both Jughead and Jellybean were important to Betty. She wanted them both to know that. 

 

“I’m glad that we came back, too,” he told her. “I missed you, a lot, you know that, right? You and Archie.”

 

“Archie was really sad when you left,” Betty said. “You’re like his super bestest friend.” 

 

“I hated Toledo,” he said. “I hated my mom for taking us there. I was really glad when you guys came to get us.” 

 

“Me too,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Juggie, I didn’t know that a chop house was bad, I thought it was like a salad.” 

 

“It’s okay, Betts,” he said. “How would you have known?”   
  


Betty felt like she should have known what a chop shop was and that it wasn’t a restaurant dedicated to salads. Not that she knew what a chop shop really was, just that it was bad, but she knew it had to be bad for her mom and dad to be given full custody of Jughead and Jellybean, which they had been. She was just glad that that meant that they could  _ really _ be a family, especially with Begonia on the way and their new big brother. She couldn’t wait to be a big sister again.

 

“I guess you’re right, Juggie.”

  
  
  


***

  
  
  


“You look damn hot in that,” FP whispered in Alice’s ear as he wrapped his arms around her, more than a bit turned on at the sight of her. “Damn, Al, I could take you right here.” 

 

“Honey, the kids are in the next room,” she whispered. “Maybe later tonight? I’ll wear just the apron.” 

 

“Yeah, I’d like that,” he said, as she shifted in his arms to press a kiss on his lips. “You baking?”   
  


“Yes, but, I’m almost done,” she told him. “I was thinking while the brownies baked, we could join the kids in the living room and pig out a bit, and maybe, after, you could rub my feet?”

 

“I’d love nothing more,” he said, and he undid the ties on her apron, revealing the fact that she was wearing a flannel (his flannel, he reminded himself) and a pair of what she insisted were maternity leggings, meant only to be worn around the house, he thought that she looked super hot in them. “Come ‘ere,” he beckoned, drawing her close. “You know I love you, right?”   
  


Her lips pressed against his, soft and sweet, and he ran his hands down her back, pleased when she moaned -- quietly -- into his mouth. Alice was fully capable of acting like she was capable of restraint -- especially when she was around their kids -- so the thought that he had caused  _ that _ reaction in her with them in the next room? He had to admit, it was a turn on. 

 

“Mmm, Jonesy, I love you too,” she murmured. “We really can’t, now, though. You know that.”

 

“It’s okay,” he whispered into her ear. “I can be patient.”

 

She giggled. “Sure you can,” she teased. “Remember, Jonesy, patience is a virtue that gets rewarded.” 

 

“Damn straight it is.”   
  


“You’ve been a  _ very _ good boy, lately,” she purred. “I’m very appreciative of all you’ve done for me.” 

 

“I love you,” he whispered. “I’ll do anything for you.” He ran his hands down her sides, and settled them on her hips, squeezing them lightly. “Come on, let’s go out with the kids. I don’t want to get too much ahead of myself and turn this into something I can’t handle.” 

 

“I really do that to you?” 

 

“Yeah,” he said. “You do it for me every day.” 

 

Alice smirked. “I know. It’s just nice to hear.” 

 

He watched as she assembled a plate filled with various baked goods, and he took it from her without a word, not wanting her to overexert herself. He had believed her when she’d told him that sex was good for her and the baby -- he knew that Alice knew her body and what it needed, and making love to her either lulled Begonia to sleep or served as her alarm clock -- but he certainly wasn’t going to have her expend her energy needlessly. 

 

He placed his hand on the small of her back as they entered the living room, and he carried the tray with the other. 

 

“Oh, look,” she breathed. “They’re so cute together.” 

 

“Juggie’s reading, Mommy,” Betty told her, her gaze reproachful. “You have to listen.” 

 

“Yeah, babe,” he teased, and he nibbled her neck. “You gotta listen.” 

 

“I’m sorry for interrupting you, Jughead,” Alice said. “I just wanted to bring out the snacks I promised Betty.” 

 

“Are these all for us?” Jughead asked, his interest piqued. 

 

“Well, you have to share with everyone, including your father and me, but, I suppose, in a sense.” 

 

“Sit with us,” Betty insisted. “There’s enough room.” 

 

FP sat down beside them, and tugged Alice onto his lap, his arm carefully hooked around her waist. “What are you reading to my Jellybelly?” He asked. “Anything good?” 

 

“Make Way For Ducklings,” Jughead told him. “She likes being read to. I read to her a lot when we were alone in Toledo.” 

 

“I really am sorry about that, Jugs,” he said. “I didn’t know that you and your sister were in that sort of situation. I thought you were living with your grandparents. I regret that you were there every day.” 

 

“It’s not your fault, Dad. You came to get us, didn’t you?”   
  


“Of course I did, Jugs, but, that’s not the point. The point is that I should have done better. I just hope that your mother never comes back here, you know?”   
  


“Even if she does,” Alice said, her tone soft, and she shifted back on his lap. “You know that your father’s legally allowed to have custody of you, she can’t take you away from him. From us. I know what happened to you was scary, but things are going to be better now.” 

 

“Where is Jellybean going to do when Dad’s at work and we’re going back to school? You have work, too, don’t you?”

 

“Yes,” she replied. “It appears that while the Register has lost one of its Editors-in-Chief, we have gained a new, adorable, mascot. I will be bringing Jellybelly to work with me, won’t I, you little adorable thing?” Jellybean had been silently acknowledging their presence, her pacifier snugly in her mouth, but she’d reached out for Alice, and seemed determined to escape Betty’s hold on her. “Do you want to cuddle with Daddy and me?” 

 

“But I’m holding her, Mommy,” Betty insisted. 

 

“Eliz--”

 

“I know that you’re doing a good job holding Jellybean,” FP said gently, not wanting a competition between Betty’s eight year old stubbornness and Alice’s hormone induced stubbornness to break out and end in tears, on either party’s part. “Your mom just wants to cuddle with her for a little bit, okay? I think Jellybelly wants to cuddle with her, too.” 

 

Betty pouted. “I guess.”

 

“That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t want to cuddle with you,” he assured her. “She just...she wants to be with her mom.”   


“Oh, I didn’t realize that Jellybelly thinks Mommy is her mom,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Jellybelly. You can cuddle with Mommy if you want to.”

  
  



	32. this is where i went to school

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Is that why you’re wearing your royal jackets?” Betty continued her line of questioning. “I think you look pretty in your Queen Alice coat,” she added. “Do I get a Princess Betty coat?”

“Is this where the big kids go to school?” Betty asked Alice and FP curiously, as she eyed the campus of Riverdale High with wide eyes, and Alice smiled softly at her in the rearview mirror, while FP parked the car. “Does Charles really get to go to school with big kids?”

 

“Of course he does,” she said, her tone smooth. “That’s why Daddy and I are here, to make sure that Principal Weatherbee sees our point of view on the subject.” 

 

“Is that why you’re wearing your royal jackets?” Betty continued her line of questioning. “I think you look pretty in your Queen Alice coat,” she added. “Do I get a Princess Betty coat?” 

 

“Uh--”   
  


“I’ll see what I can do, okay, Betty?” Alice smiled at FP, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was sweet how much he cared about making sure that Betty and Polly were happy. She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned closer to him, enjoying the feel of his fingers curled along her side. “I’m sure that we can get you something to wear, okay? You really want to?”

 

“Yes, Daddy, I want people to know I’m the Princess Serpent. Can I get a snake?” 

 

He chuckled. “People are gonna know, Betts. Don’t worry about that. When you get back to school, you and your sister will be Joneses.” 

 

“We are? How?”

 

“FP and I are getting married,” Alice explained to her. “Sooner, rather than later.”

 

“And he’s gonna adopt us?” 

 

“Yes, sweetie, he’s going to adopt the two of you.”

 

“Cool.” 

 

“Yeah, it is cool,” she agreed. “Are you okay if we wait to have a big party until after Begonia’s born?” 

 

“Uh huh, Mommy, I just want FP to be my dad for real.” 

 

“I am your real dad,” FP interjected. “You’re my kid, same as Charles, and your sister, and Jughead and Jellybean, and Begonia.” 

 

“I know that,” she said. “But other people might not.”

 

“Is that what you’ve been so worried about?” 

 

“Yes, Mommy,” she informed her. “I’m not worried about FP not being my daddy anymore, I know he loves me, I just don’t want people to think that I’m making it up, or that my daddy is mean and hurts people anymore.” 

 

“Aww, Betty, come here,” FP beckoned, and Betty scrambled up so that she was seated between him and Alice, clearly pleased with the sudden permission she had to be in the front of the car. Alice bit back a sigh as she glanced in the mirror and acknowledged that the only children that were both present and awake were Betty and Begonia, neither of whom was particularly useful when it came to enrolling Charles in Riverdale High. “What Hal did isn’t a reflection on you, you here? If anyone says something about it, you tell your mother, or me, and we will set them straight.” 

 

“Okay,” she said. “If we wait until Begonia is born can she be in the wedding?” 

 

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

 

“Yes, I mean, Begonia gets to be in the wedding now, so why can’t she when you have the big party for everyone when she’s born? How can you get married without a big party?”

 

“We can get married at Town Hall,” Alice told her, as Betty curled herself up on FP’s lap, clearly having decided to favor him over her and Begonia for the moment. “After we can go out for something to eat?” 

 

“Can we get milkshakes at Pop’s?”

 

“Yes, that’s something that we can do.” 

 

“Can you get married now?” 

 

“I wish, sweetheart,” FP said. “We have to wait for two days. It feels like forever. I can’t wait to marry your mom.” 

 

“I can’t wait to marry you, either, Jonesy.” She gave him another kiss. “I love you.” She kissed Betty on the cheek. “I love you, too, Elizabeth.” 

 

“I know, Mommy. You love me a lot. I love you lots, too.” 

 

“What about me?” 

 

“I love you, too, Daddy,” she chirped. “But I love Begonia the bestest. Is she awake?”

 

“Sure is,” Alice said. “You know how your sister works, the more people sleeping the more likely she is to wake up.” 

 

“I don’t want to bother her,” Betty whispered. “What if she’s trying to go to sleep?” 

 

Alice was doubtful that the baby inside of her ever set out for sleep, given her unborn child’s proclivity to be awake more hours of the day than not. Betty and Polly had been placid babies, with normal periods of wake-sleep activity, whereas, the baby inside of her seemed to take after her older brother. Charles had been active, too. It was clear to her that Charles and Begonia took after their father. Not that Alice minded. She liked that the babies were similar to FP. 

 

“Trust me,” Alice assured her. “She’s not. You don’t have to worry about bothering her, because she quite likes being the center of attention. Come here, Elizabeth. Give me your hand, and you can say hello to the munchkin.” 

 

“I love the munchkin, like so much, I can’t wait until she’s big enough to meet us.” Betty eagerly pressed her hand down against the material of Alice’s blouse, and Begonia (who was indeed a fan of attention) was happy to wriggle around for her older sister. “Hi Begonia, it’s Betty,” she informed Alice’s bump, and Begonia took that as an invitation to kick harder. “You know who I am? Mommy, she knows!”   
  


“I told you she knows who you are,” Alice assured her. “It’s very exciting, isn’t it?”

 

“The most exciting thing ever.” Betty wrapped her arm around her, and she nestled her head against her belly. “Is she getting bigger _ every _ day?”

 

“Pretty much. You mind if Daddy takes a picture of us?” 

 

“I don’t mind. When can I go to school here?” 

 

“When you’re bigger, like Charles.” 

 

“And Juggie can come too? Even though he can’t hear well?” 

 

“Elizabeth, I will do everything in my power to keep you and Jughead in the same school.” 

 

“Okay, Mommy,” Betty said, as she cuddled closer. “I wish that everyone was awake so that I could see the big kids school.” 

 

“I’ll wake them up soon,” Alice said. “I promise.”

 

“Your mom and I went here, you know?” FP added, and Alice smiled at him, pleased by how well he had adapted to distracting Betty. “Not that long ago. Sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday.” 

 

“We had some good times here, didn’t we?” 

 

“Yeah, we did, babe. I can’t wait to keep the good times coming.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“Mrs. Cooper, Mr. Jones,” Principal Weatherbee said, barely looking up from the sheaf of papers that was on his desk, and therefore missing the context clues that Alice was giving him about her hatred of being referred to as Mrs. Cooper, which was only to his detriment. “What brings you here to our fair Riverdale High?” 

 

“It’s Mrs. Jones, Waldo,” she said, her tone flat. “FP and I want to enroll our son. Charles, this is Principal Weatherbee.” 

 

“I thought you married Hal Cooper?” 

 

“I don’t like to talk about that,” she hissed, her blue eyes turning to ice. “What I am here to discuss with you is facilitating the best way to ensure that Charles has a decent education, or, at least, the best that Riverdale’s public schools can provide for him. I won’t hesitate to pull my children -- and by extension, my money, and the Register’s support for the schools -- from the district if you don’t treat my son with respect.” 

 

“Mrs. Jones, why didn’t you allow your son to finish out his schooling at his previous school? You yourself went to the Sisters of Quiet--”

 

“Shut up, Waldo. If you think I’m sending anyone back to that horrible place, you are out of your mind. If I find out that Riverdale High is sending students there or encouraging their parents to do so? I will drag this school through the mud. Not only the school, your name. That’s right. I’d make damn sure that you’d be unhirable when I was through with you.” 

 

“Are you threatening me, Alice?”

 

Alice scoffed. “I don’t need to threaten you,” she said, her tone flat. “That’s a promise.”

 

“I, on the other hand, will threaten you,” FP said. “You let my son into your school, or it will be the  _ last _ thing you do in this town without being the Serpents’ public enemy number one. You think Alice is scary? I’m sure you’d fare well at the hands of my biker gang.” He scowled. Alice took a moment to appreciate how appealing to the eyes FP looked when he was being protective and dressed in leathers. “By the way. The school sure did a bang up job of protecting me from my abusive father. Oh, wait. You didn’t care because I was a Southsider. You probably thought I deserved it.” 

 

“I was not the Principal while you were in school, Mr. Jones.”

 

“You were at the end of it! After Featherhead bit it!”

 

“All right, fine,” he muttered. “Your son is welcome to join us starting in the second semester of this year, Mrs. Jones. That will begin in January after the break.” 

 

“Thank you, Waldo. That was literally all I wanted.” 

 

“Would you like me to take him a tour of the school?” 

 

“That won’t be needed. FP and I are perfectly capable.” 

 

“You’re...bringing your other children with you?” 

 

“Of course, Weatherbee. Betty and Jughead want to see what a high school looks like, and I certainly would never trust you to watch my Jellybelly.” 

 

Weatherbee sighed. Alice smirked. She linked her fingers through FP’s, and squeezed his hand tightly. “Come along, honey. I think we’re done here.” 

 

Alice stalked out of the Principal’s office and FP followed alongside her, his hand firmly entwined with hers. She was pleased to see that the children had all elected to behave in their momentary absence. Jellybean had commandeered Charles’ lap and was happily chattering at him, while Jughead and Betty sat on either side of them. They looked like they were a real, honest, family. Of course, Alice knew that they were a family, no matter how long it had taken them to get Charles back, and no matter how many people stared at them wherever they went, but she had to admit that she still felt guilty. Charles was their son, and he’d been sequestered away in a convent for almost two decades.

 

If Cheryl hadn’t been sent there, she would have never known. 

 

“Mom? What did he say?” 

 

“You can start school when they come back from Christmas break,” Alice told him, trying not to start crying. Her hormones always strove to make her completely embarrassed. “Did you want to go explore the school?” 

 

She felt FP massage the small of her back, and she smiled up at him. “Your dad and I, we want to show you our old stomping grounds.” 

 

“That sounds fun, Alice,” Jughead said, before he surprised her by giving her a hug. “Betty said that Begonia’s kicking, is she still?” 

 

“She’s awake, yeah, you want to feel her?” He nodded. “You want me to help? Or your dad? You can do it on your own, if you want.” 

 

“Where’s she kicking?” 

 

“Right here,” Alice said, and she pointed towards the area on her stomach that the baby was kicking. “You can just press your hand down gently, and she’ll kick for you. It doesn’t hurt, and she’s going to be kicking me anyways. You may as well feel.” Jughead placed his hand where she directed, and he grinned widely at her and FP.

 

“You feel your sister, Jugs?” 

 

“Yeah, she’s kicking for me.” 

 

“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” 

 

“Yeah, Dad, it’s cool. I didn’t know she could kick so hard.” 

 

Jellybean toddled over to them, clearly having decided that Alice and the baby bump were more interesting than her brother and sister, and she pouted at the sight of Jughead feeling the baby. “Dada, Munchies my baby.” 

 

“What do you mean, Jellybean?” 

 

“I feel Munchies,” she demanded. 

 

“You can feel her after Jughead does, Bean. He’s her brother, just like you’re her sister. You want me to carry you?”   
  


Alice smiled as she watched Jellybean contemplate this, and she grinned at her decisive nod. 

 

“Up me, Dada.” 

 

“Come ‘ere,” FP said, and he scooped her up. “What does my little princess want to see first at the school?”

 

“Dada play!” Jellybean chirped. She squeezed his cheeks. “Jelly up.” 

 

“Of course Daddy will play with you,” he whispered. “When we get home, okay?”

  
  
  
  



	33. mama i love you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I want Mama,” she informed him, and she held out her arms for him to pick her up. “Mama and my bottle.”

“Morning, babe,” FP whispered, and he rolled over in bed so he was closer to Alice, whom he kissed on the forehead. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Like in a couple hours, I’m going to be your bride,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to sleep.” 

 

“I don’t think I can, either,” he admitted. “I can’t believe that we’re finally getting married, and that we’re all going to become a family.” 

 

“You’re really okay with adopting Betty and Polly?” Alice asked. 

 

“Of course I am,” he said. “I just wish that you could adopt Jughead and Jellybean.” 

 

Truthfully, FP was annoyed by the fact that while he had been granted full custody of the children due to Gladys’s stunt, she was still legally their mother, and she had refused to sign over her rights. All he’d wanted was a good life for the kids, and she was content to hinder that at every turn? And for what? The pittance she would send in child support? His lawyer had informed him that this decision was likely temporary, due to the fact that they were still investigating the legality of her business and actions, but he was still irritated. The woman had let their one year old wander around a chop shop! She had pulled Jughead out of school to make him watch Jellybean! If he had been so neglectful he would have been locked in jail and had the key thrown out, but of course Gladys’s parents had come to her defense and were somehow defending her. He was pissed off at them too. They’d known what she was doing, and they hadn’t cared. 

 

“Honey, it’s okay,” she said. “I wish I could, too, but the important thing is that she is never going to see them again. You have full custody, and it’s unfortunate that I will legally only be their stepmother, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t treat them as my own children.” 

 

“She’s just doing it to be a bitch,” he muttered.

 

“I don’t disagree,” she said. “However, at the end of the day, there is such a thing as not poking crazy. Jughead and Jellybean can view me as their mother, without me legally being such. I don’t mind.” 

 

“I know you don’t,” he said. “I just hate it. If I had done what she’d done I would have never seen them again, and I know that, and I would have deserved that. But it’s all right when it’s her? I don’t get that and I never will.” 

 

“I don’t get it either.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss. “Hopefully the investigation will force her hand.” 

 

“Yeah, hopefully.” FP sighed. “Jellybean won’t even remember her and she still wants to fuck her over. Jellybelly deserves a mom like you, Allie. She deserves a mom that loves her and doesn’t nearly get her killed and who wasn’t the reason she almost died when she was born. And what is she stuck with? Exactly that. I should have divorced Gladys when Jellybean was born. Maybe things would have been different.” 

 

“She has me, Jonesy. She will always have me, I don’t care what Gladys says, or does, or thinks will happen, as far as I am concerned, if Jellybean wants me to be her mother, I will be. I don’t need that to be legal for it to be real. I love Jellybean. She’s our daughter, regardless of any piece of paper.” 

 

“You promise?” 

 

Alice nodded. “Yeah, honey, I promise.” He felt her squeeze his hands. “Why don’t we go check on Miss Jellybelly? She’s probably awake and I think Betty could use some more sleep.” 

 

“You want to come with me?” 

 

“Yes, of course,” she said. “I’m really excited about today, honey,” she added. “Not just today though, every day that we’re going to have from now on, as Mr. and Mrs. Jones.” 

 

“You’re really going to go by Jones?”   
  


“Yes.” She kissed him softly. FP grinned. “I love you, you know that, right?” 

 

“Yeah, Allie, I know.” He kissed her again, and he pressed a kiss to her belly. “I know how much both you, and Miss Munchies, love me.” 

 

“It amuses you that Jellybelly calls the baby that, doesn’t it?” 

 

“More than a little bit,” he said. “I love her.” 

 

“Honey, I love her, too.” 

 

FP crawled out of bed and threw on a thermal shirt and some sweatpants on, along with a pair of socks, and he handed Alice her robe. He hadn’t developed a sense of modesty, it was just fucking cold out. It was winter, after all. He watched as Alice dressed in flannel pajamas, her bump showing slightly, and he couldn’t resist caressing it through her shirt. He thought that she was amazing. That their daughter was amazing. 

 

“Warm enough, babe?” 

 

“Oh, I’m fine,” she said. “Maybe later we can celebrate our wedding by getting a Christmas tree?”   
  


“Jugs and Jelly have never had a real one before,” he admitted. “Kinda figured it was a fire hazard in the trailer.” 

 

“We can all go. As a family. Right now, though, we should get Jelly. I can hear her.” 

 

“You’ve got mom superpowers,” he joked. “Yeah, let’s go get her.” 

 

Jellybean was indeed awake, though she was at least not crying when FP came into her room, Alice following behind. While Betty was soundly asleep in her bed, tucked in under her covers, her bed littered with stuffed animals (the serpent was snuggly under her arm), Jellybean had abandoned sleep in order to stand up in her crib, eying them piteously. 

 

“Hey, Bean,” he cooed. “Daddy and Mama are here, good morning.” 

 

“You want me to make her her bottle while you get her changed?” Alice offered. “You hungry, Jelly?”

 

Jellybean nodded, her face buried into his shoulder. 

 

“I figured you were,” she said. “Don’t worry. When you and Daddy come downstairs you can have one.”

 

FP brought Jellybean into their bedroom to change her, and she perked up immediately after getting fresh and clean. He zipped up a new sleeper on her (the one she’d worn to bed didn’t have feet on it, and the hardwood floors were cold) and kissed her on the top of the head. 

 

“You want your bottle, Jelly?” 

 

“I want Mama,” she informed him, and she held out her arms for him to pick her up. “Mama  _ and  _ my bottle.” 

 

“Yeah, you’re gonna get both,” he agreed. “Can you be quiet, though? We have to get downstairs without your brothers and Betty waking up.” 

 

“I be quiet,” she said. “Betty sleepy.” 

 

“Yeah, Betty’s sleepy.” He popped the pacifier back in her mouth and scooped her up. “That’s my good girl.” 

 

Alice was right, FP thought to himself. The important thing was that they had full custody of Jellybean and Jughead. She would be their mom regardless of a piece of paper. He knew that. 

 

“Look who’s up, Jellybelly,” he said, when they entered the kitchen and saw Polly and Cheryl there. “Do you want to say hi to Polly?” 

 

“Want Mama,” she whispered, though she offered the girls a wave. 

 

“Sorry,” he said, tone apologetic. “She’s just waking up, it’s nothing personal.” 

 

“It’s okay, FP,” Polly said. “Mom said that you were going to pick us up at school before the wedding, right?” 

 

“Of course, we want you there.” 

 

“I’ll see you then, okay, Jellybelly?” 

 

Jellybean nodded. “Polly go?” 

 

“She has to, baby,” FP said, as he put her down. “She’s got school, like Cheryl.” 

 

“I hug bye,” she decided, and he watched her toddle over to the twosome and wrap her arms around both girls’ legs in quick succession. “Love you.” Her eyes lit up. “Mama, Dada.” 

 

“I see her,” he said. “Wanna walk over to her? Or you want me to carry you?” 

 

“I big girl, I walk to Mama.” Jellybean toddled over to Alice. “Hi, Mama.” 

 

“Hi, sweetheart,” Alice said, and he watched as she got down so she was on Jellybean’s level. “You want to walk with me to the couch and you can have your bottle?” Jellybean nodded. “I thought you’d like that idea.” She glanced up at FP. “You want to join us?” 

 

“Of course,” he said. “Want your coffee?” 

 

“If you don’t mind.” 

 

FP didn’t. He busied himself making them both a cup of coffee, and he headed out to the living room, unsurprised that Jellybean was already enjoying her bottle, and Alice seemed to be enjoying the fact that their little girl was curled up in her arms. As for him? He loved the sight of two of the people he loved most in the world loving each other. 

 

“She’s hungry,” Alice commented. “She’s being a cuddly girl.”   
  


“Yeah, that’s cause she loves you,” he told her. “You’re her mom.” 


	34. hold my girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jellybean was eying the two of them with curious eyes, as she continued to drink her bottle. Alice smiled down at the little one. It was clear that she had heard mentions of food, and wanted to be included in the discussion. Alice loved Jellybean. She was just glad that she loved her back.

“My mama,” Jellybean agreed, taking a break from her bottle to do so, and Alice smiled down at her, and she pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Lovey Mama.” 

 

“I love you, too,” she said. “Finish your bottle, baby girl.” She glanced at FP. “I told you, those things we talked about, they don’t matter. Not to me, and certainly not to Jellybean. You see that, don’t you?”   
  


“Yeah, babe, I see that.” He pressed his lips to her cheek. “I just--I wish that things were different for them.” 

 

“I know,” she admitted. “But, honey, they are. You’ve gotten sober for them and that’s so amazing. They clearly adore you. And they’re going to be living with you on a permanent, full time, basis, regardless of whether or not she signs her rights away. I wish that she would, but I don’t want her to lash out if we tried to force that.” 

 

“But, even if she doesn’t,” he said, his tone soft. “You’re their mom.” 

 

“Of course.” She kissed him tenderly. “I love being their mom, I’m going to love being your wife,” she said. “I can’t wait until we’re Mr. and Mrs. Jones.” 

 

“Just a couple more hours,” he said. He pressed his lips to hers. “You’re really okay with going to Pop’s afterwards?” 

 

She nodded. “Yeah, it will make the kids happy, including Begonia. You know she has me craving all sorts of terrible things.”

 

“Mmm, like what?”

 

“Right now? Specifically? Or in general?” 

 

Jellybean was eying the two of them with curious eyes, as she continued to drink her bottle. Alice smiled down at the little one. It was clear that she had heard mentions of food, and wanted to be included in the discussion. Alice loved Jellybean. She was just glad that she loved her back. 

 

“You’re craving something right now?” FP asked, and she felt him press his hand against her belly. 

 

“Yeah, honey, I am.” 

 

“What’re you craving? Al, I”ll make you whatever you want,” he offered. “You and Jellybelly can hang out together, and I’ll cook,” he said. “You don’t have to hide the fact that you’re having cravings.” 

 

“I’m not hiding them,” she said. “I’m just not used to them being satisfied by anyone other than myself.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “As for what I’m craving...I think that I would like to have bacon and home fries. And french toast. Can you make me french toast?” 

 

“Sure thing, babe.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You done with your bottle, Jells?” 

 

“All done, Dada,” Jellybean confirmed, and she held the bottle out to him. “We cuddles, Mama?”

 

That sounded nice to Alice. “Yes, my princess. We can cuddles.”

 

“Is Munchies hungry?” 

 

“Pretty much constantly, yeah,” she told the little girl, as she shifted her on her lap so that she was facing her. “She’s growing.” 

 

“Growing big and strong,” Jellybean parroted, having clearly picked that up from someone. “Like me.” 

 

“Yes, just like you,” she agreed. “Did you want to say hello to your sister?”   
  


Jellybean contemplated this, her brow furrowed, and her gaze intense. “Munchies not sleepy?” 

 

“No, she’s awake,” she assured her. “Just like you.” 

 

“I want to say hi.” Alice took Jellybean’s hand in hers and placed them where Begonia had currently made herself at home, and she gave Jellybean an encouraging look when the baby started to kick. She seemed rather entranced. “Munchies’ kicky me.” Jellybean beamed. 

 

“Munchies is definitely kicking for you,” Alice said in agreement, as she leaned back against the couch. She was glad that Jellybean was fixated on the baby. “She loves you, Jellybelly.”

 

Jellybean grinned. “I know. I loves her.”

 

Alice grinned back at Jellybean, who gazed down at her little bump, her excitement at the proximity to the (very active) baby visible. She took a sip of her coffee. Alice tended to be a morning person but Begonia took a lot out of her, in addition to the toll that her life in general had been over the course of the past few months. Not that Jellybean was old enough to understand that her new mama needed extra sleep. She was just glad that the little girl enjoyed having a grown up partner for naps. Whether Jellybean’s indulgence of Alice’s presence was due to little Begonia or due to her actually liking spending time with her, Alice truly wasn’t sure. She decided that it really didn’t matter. 

 

“You want to have bacon and french toast with Mama and Daddy?” 

 

The scent of the bacon had permeated the air, and Alice felt her mouth water, and her stomach gave an embarrassing growl. 

 

“Love toasty,” Jellybean chirped. “Yes, tell Daddy.” 

 

“I would, but, I think he knows,” she told her. “You know what today is? Daddy and I are getting married.”   
  


“Married?” Jellybean echoed. “What that mean?” 

 

“It means that Daddy and I love each other so much,” she said. “I’m going to wear a pretty dress and we’re going to tell everyone that we love each other so much.”

 

“I wear pretty dress too,” she insisted. 

 

“Of course.” Jellybean’s eyes lit up. “After we get married, we’re going to go to Pop’s, okay?” 

 

“Milkshakes, Mama?” 

 

“You want a milkshake, Jells?” She nodded. “Well, okay, since it’s a special day. We’re also going to have a cake. Daddy says you like cake?” 

 

Alice was typically against giving Jellybean free reign on processed sugars, but she didn’t see the harm in allowing extra for one day. It was a special day after all. For all of them.

 

“Cake’s yummies,” Jellybean said. “Does Munchies like cake?” 

 

“Munchies? She loves cake.”

 

“I love Munchies,” Jellybean said after a moment. “She’s baby sissy.” 

 

“That she is.” Alice puckered her lips for a kiss, and Jellybean gave her one, her eyes glinting with happiness. “I love you, Jelly.”

 

“Love you, too, Mama. So does Munchies.” 

 

“Does Munchies? How do you know?” 

 

“She telled me,” Jellybean said. “She’s kicky so much when I say I loves you.” 

 

“Oh, yes, that does mean she loves me,” Alice agreed. “It also means that she loves you. She kicked a lot when I told you that she loves you, did you notice?” 

 

Jellybean nodded sagely. “Yes, she kicked super hard.” 

 

“It’s fun to feel her kick, isn’t it?” 

 

“Yes, Mama, but I be gentle.” This was true. Jellybean was gentle with her belly. Alice had to admit it was impressive given that she was only a toddler. “Dada says gentle always with Mama and Munchies. I listen.” 


	35. little redhead girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You don’t understand,” she whispered. “He’ll never go against them. He knows what they’ll do. He’s seen what they’ll do. He loves me, but...not enough. Not enough to risk everything.”

The door slammed behind Cheryl rather impressively, and FP jumped about a mile, trying to process exactly what was happening in front of him. He was reasonably certain that Cheryl and Polly were supposed to be in school (he had watched them leave, after all, and he knew that they were dismissing Polly to go to their wedding in roughly an hour), so the girl’s presence was disconcerting, to say the least. 

 

“Shouldn’t you be in school?” He dared to ask. There was no way that Alice hadn’t heard the slam of the door, and he suspected the girls playing hooky would make her unhappy. “Did something happen?” 

 

“Jay Jay said that he wasn’t allowed to be my  _ twin _ anymore,” Cheryl wept, her eyes filled with tears. “That Mother and Father won’t allow it, because I’ve brought shame into the family. All I did was kiss my girlfriend.” She sniffled. “Who, by the way? Is no longer in the state. So I don’t know what their problem is with me. I’m out of their house, she’s out of my life, they just had to take the one person that loved me away from me.”

 

“Cheryl, I--” FP didn’t know what to say. He really did not understand how families like the Blossoms worked. He just knew that the girl that he and Alice had taken on was floundering, and he would be an even more shitty guardian than he already was if he didn’t at least try to make things right for her. “Maybe he’ll come around. I mean, he’s your twin.”   
  


“You don’t understand,” she whispered. “He’ll never go against them. He knows what they’ll do. He’s seen what they’ll do. He loves me, but...not enough. Not enough to risk everything.” 

 

“I’m sorry,” he said. What else could he say? “I don’t understand that mindset,” he admitted, as he ran his hands through his hair. “Their mindset. It’s fucked up, you know? I never could do that to my kids, or to my sister, if I had one. Especially not over something so fucking dumb as the fact that you happen to like kissing girls. Who gives a shit?” 

 

“It ruins their reputation--”   
  


“That’s bull,” he said. “The Blossom family’s reputation didn’t get ruined when Clifford married his younger sister,” he pointed out. Cheryl’s eyes widened at that tidbit. “Yup, your mother was brought into the Blossom family for the sole purpose of being your father’s wife. That’s some real bullshit there, if you ask me.”

 

“They’re  _ related _ to each other?” A slightly green tinge had settled over her face. 

 

“Not blood related, nah, but yeah, they’re definitely siblings. Your grandmother thought she was the best of the redhead offerings.” 

 

“Nana Rose?” 

 

FP nodded. “Yeah, Nana Rose.” He had forgotten the woman’s name until Cheryl had said that. 

 

She blanched. “That’s sick,” Cheryl breathed. “Ew.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right.” FP was definitely in agreement that the relationship between Clifford and Penelope was nothing even vaguely resembling healthy and functional. He thought it explained so much about their family that that was being deemed acceptable but Cheryl wanting to date age appropriate girls wasn’t. “That’s not acceptable in my mind. In Alice’s mind. But, Cheryl, we are okay with you being a lesbian, or being bisexual, or even if it’s just experimentation. We aren’t going to kick you out based on who you date. We’re a family now. A real one.”

 

He cleared his throat. “That doesn’t mean that I can let your behavior slide, however,” he said. “You need to apologize to Betty and Jughead for how you’ve treated them. And if you ever wake Jellybean up with a scary movie at 3 am again, you will be the one responsible for putting her to bed. Do I make myself clear? All I am requiring for now is a sincere apology to both of my children. The next time -- and there better not be a next time -- there will be consequences.”

 

“I’ll apologize to them,” she said. “I know that I’m abrasive. And rude. And that I do things that make people angry. Are we really a family?”   
  


“Yeah, Cheryl, we’re really a family,” he said. “Kinda a fucked up one, but, aren’t they all?”

 

“Are you gonna make me go back to school?” 

 

FP shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll make them excuse you when Alice and I go pick up Polly for the wedding,” he promised. “I don’t blame you for coming home.”

 

“You should have called,” Alice interjected, and he turned in the direction her voice came from. She had been getting dressed for their nuptials, and he thought that she was the most gorgeous woman in the entire world, clad in a dress that nicely highlighted the swell that contained Begonia. “We would have picked you up. Right, Jonesy?”

 

“Yeah, of course we would have.” 

 

Jellybean was curled in Alice’s arms, her dress matching the one that Betty had on, and he reached out for the little one, not wanting Alice to over exert herself. Betty clung to Alice’s dress, clearly unsure of what to make of what had just happened. He couldn’t really blame her. 

 

“Can I hold her?” Cheryl asked. “Jellybean?” 

 

“Have you ever held a baby before?” Betty questioned, her gaze unblinking. “Why do you want to hold her?” 

 

“Because she’s part of our family,” FP said. “I know that it’s going to take some adjusting, Betty, but she is part of our family, and if she wants to hold your sister, I’m not going to stand in her way.”

 

“You can help me, if you want,” Cheryl offered. “You’re right. I’ve never held a baby before. I don’t even know if she’ll like me. Maybe she’ll feel better if we sit together?” 

 

Betty nodded. “Jellybean likes when I hold her,” she said. “We were going to give her a bottle? Maybe you could feed her?”

 

“I think that’s a good idea,” Alice agreed. “Let me just warm it up for you.”


End file.
